You walk through life with your head held high,
But not in pride or dignity,
Rather in the habit of looking down,
At those you deem beneath you,
As if their worth is measured by your gaze,
As if their value is something you can decide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve built walls around your heart,
Fortresses of judgment and superiority,
But what you don\u2019t see,
Is that each time you look down on someone,
You are lowering yourself,
Carving away at your own humanity,
Until all that\u2019s left is a hollow shell of what could have been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s easy, isn\u2019t it?
To dismiss others with a glance,
To define them by their flaws,
To feel taller by making others small,
But in truth, this habit of yours,
Is a heavy burden to carry,
A weight that pulls you deeper into a pit of isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For when you look down on others,
You miss the beauty in their struggles,
The strength in their survival,
The wisdom in their scars,
You close yourself off from understanding,
From connection, from growth,
And in doing so, you rob yourself of the chance to become more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each person you look down upon,
Has a story, a battle, a strength,
That you may never know,
Because you\u2019ve chosen to judge them from a distance,
But if you were to look them in the eye,
To truly see them as they are,
You might find that they are more like you,
Than you ever dared to admit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This habit of yours,
It doesn\u2019t protect you,
It doesn\u2019t make you better,
It builds a cage around your soul,
And slowly, it will suffocate the love, the empathy, the kindness,
That once lived within you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s not too late,
To change, to grow, to let go of the need to feel superior,
To understand that your worth isn\u2019t found in the flaws of others,
But in your ability to lift them up,
To see them for who they truly are,
To stand beside them, not above them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world is full of people,
Each with their own battles, their own worth,
And when you choose to look down on them,
You only see a fraction of their truth,
But when you choose to lift them up,
To meet them where they are,
You begin to see the world in all its richness,
In all its humanity, in all its beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So break the habit,
Not just for their sake,
But for yours,
For there is freedom in letting go of judgment,
There is peace in seeing others as equals,
There is growth in understanding,
And there is love in lifting others up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the higher you climb on the backs of others,
The further you fall when the truth pulls you down,
But when you stand on level ground,
With a heart open to all,
You\u2019ll find that the weight you\u2019ve been carrying,
Lifts, and you are finally free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You walk through life with your head held high,But not in pride or dignity,Rather in the habit of looking down,At those you deem beneath you,As if their worth is measured by your gaze,As if their value is something you can decide. You\u2019ve built walls around your heart,Fortresses of judgment and superiority,But what you don\u2019t see,Is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,25,98],"tags":[117,35,49,34,67,50,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-2567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-lookingdownonothers","tag-poems","tag-poetess","tag-poetry","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenword","tag-stories","tag-story","tag-walkingshadowpoetry","tag-walkingshadowpoetrykenya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-4681107.jpeg?fit=867%2C1300&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2564,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/reflections-from-above-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":0},"title":"Reflections from Above by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"August 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"You walk with your head held high,Eyes scanning the world from a distance,Judging silently, but with a sharp gaze,Thinking you are above, better, more deserving,Looking down on others as if they are less,But have you ever wondered what it\u2019s like,To truly see beyond the surface,To understand the depth of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a person in a hoodie looking at their phone","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-27535715.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-27535715.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-27535715.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-27535715.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2906,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/its-not-your-fault-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":1},"title":"It\u2019s Not Your Fault by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hey,I see you there,Sitting with the weight of \"what ifs\" on your shoulders.What if you\u2019d called?What if you\u2019d texted?What if you\u2019d shown up just one second sooner?Would it have changed anything?Would they still be here? But listen,Even though it feels unbearable, this wasn\u2019t your fault.The pain they carried wasn\u2019t something\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a person holding a laptop with a broken screen","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-28379997.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-28379997.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-28379997.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-28379997.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-28379997.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2996,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/spoken-word-choosing-me-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":2},"title":"Spoken Word: Choosing Me by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"You said you wanted something casual,Something simple, no strings attached.But I wasn\u2019t ready for that.I\u2019ve been hurt too many times before,And the last thing I want this yearIs to be just an option.A backup plan.Someone who\u2019s there only when it\u2019s convenient. It wasn\u2019t easy to accept the way things were,To\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-27-153204.png?fit=446%2C622&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2840,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-choices-we-make-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":3},"title":"The Choices We Make by walking shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"December 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Life stands like a market,Offering treasures and traps,Some to lift you higher,Others to pull you back. I\u2019ve seen it all,The good and the bad,Moments that built me,And those that tore me apart. Funny how it worksIt all boils down to me.What I choose to chase,And what I let be. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"boy holding grille","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-17751333.jpeg?fit=1038%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-17751333.jpeg?fit=1038%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-17751333.jpeg?fit=1038%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-17751333.jpeg?fit=1038%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2439,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/rising-from-the-shadows\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":4},"title":"Rising from the Shadows…","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"August 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I used to stand in front of the mirror,Staring at a face that I didn\u2019t know,Fingers tracing lines I wished would disappear,Eyes searching for a spark that refused to show. I heard whispers in my mind,Telling me I wasn\u2019t enough,Each word echoing through my soul,Making every breath feel tough. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-photo-19698921.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2844,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-weight-of-hope-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2567,"position":5},"title":"The Weight of Hope by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"December 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes, our background tells the story,Of battles fought in silence, without glory.It\u2019s the reason we rise, time after time,No matter how steep the mountain we climb. When life throws storms, we hold on tight,Because giving up isn\u2019t in our sight.We carry dreams born in struggle and pain,For those who believe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"woman walking on brown stair","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-1666670.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-1666670.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-1666670.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pexels-photo-1666670.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2567"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2569,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567\/revisions\/2569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}