You know when people say,

"That kid is so mean."

It may not be him,

maybe it's something unseen.

I would know this;

Where my cynicism came from.

It's not me who's mean,

it's my parents, and then some.

I'm not trying to blame them,

nor is this an excuse.

But every time they lecture me,

I become more and more of a recluse.

My anger is bottled inside,

piling up load after load.

Until one fateful day,

when I finally explode.

I lash out at people,

teachers and friends alike.

My anger rushes out,

like water through a hole in a dike.

But it's just the beginning,

my anger currently simply pours.

But it's stored in a reservoir,

it can be a formidable force.

I've become bitter,

resentful over the years.

I find relief in torturing others,

exposing all their fears.

But can I ever change back,

to what I was before?

Or am I to be stuck,

Like this forevermore?