Names Are the Things That Hurt Me

A poem about bullying that is centered around disproving the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me".

Sticks and stones

may break my bones,

but names,

those are the things that hurt me.

A broken bone will heal,

but names will leave scars that last forever.

Names don’t hurt me?

Have you seen the suicide rates lately?

Do you know what it’s like,

living in a world that I think hates me?

This hurts my physique

much more than the physical pain

of a broken bone

ever would.

Even if I was to go into shock

form the pain of that broken bone,

even if it was jutting out of my body,

it would never be as disturbing

as the twisted and distorted insults

that I have been called over the years.

Do not try and make

years of mental anguish

seem as if they mean absolutely nothing,

for a broken heart

and withered self-esteem

hurt a hell of a lot more

than a trip to the E.R.

Names hurt.

Of course they do.

Why wouldn’t they?

We grow up wanting nothing

but to be accepted.

It is human nature,

 and a world full of hate and cruelty

is not exactly settling

or reassuring.

Sticks and stones

may break my bones,

but names,

those are the things that hurt me.

Author's Note

I am open to any kind of criticism, harsh or otherwise. If you have any questions about this poem, any of my other poetry, or about me in general, feel free to ask.

Reviews

[Woody]

I hate bullies with a passion. I've known a few when I was in primary schoool.
this is very nice and I totally agree that names do hurt, sometimes more than blows. call me a pessimist but I find that the world we live in is going to the dogs.