in fifteen years,
i rode a rollercoaster
of self-esteem
that crashed
two years ago.

the train fell
from the maximum
of my eight-year-old mind.

it could coast
over the local
bumps and valleys,
but the global minimum
could have been
a tragic accident.

lucky chains
of chemical candy
and human compassion
pulled me up
from the wreckage.

in fifteen years,
everything changed,
but the core you knew
survived the journey.