Judge not by what makes us small

Or smaller we become

A canon of self-inflicted strife

Measures our self worth

A mirror distorted by the heat of

Jealousy, self-loathing, paranoia, and fear

Casts images of truth and untruth

Truth distorted

Untruth reflected

Not simply by lies

But by silence and deflection

While wisdom is confused with

Analysis, prognostication, apology and spin

And truth is mistaken for reality

Which is simply real, but not immutable

Unless smaller we become as

Truth finally resembles the reality

Inflicted on ourselves and each other

By our smallness

Judge by what makes us thrive

And we will,

Or have a fighting chance