I learnt early that success for me was a lost cause
for every success of mine would only point to my father's failures
then would come the abuse
the violence
I struggled to understand the contempt shown
and the contempt felt…
I was barely thirteen but already understood failure
it had been bred and beaten into me
each tick from a teacher meant an extra beating for me
there was always a reason…
each day I grew I became afraid of learning
afraid to understand the complexities of life
where only failure was an option
where my success, was already a lost cause.