one tear
trickling
down my cheek
one tear
washing away
all the respect
i have ever earned
one tear
reducing me
to another
person in this
impersonal world
one tear
pushing me
slowly toward
the brink of
insanity
one tear
proves my
inferiority
one tear
quickly brushed away
hurst me more
than anything
one tear
becomes many
and i lay my head
on your shoulder
and cry
~erika boal