Terminal

In the shadows of an airport's bustling halls,

I stood guard, wearing the uniform of the TSA's walls,

A sentinel for safety, a protector of the skies,

Yet, amidst the crowd, I faced my own demise.

The workplace, a battlefield, a viper's nest,

Filled with betrayal, a struggle, a test,

From coworkers, supervisors, managers, and all,

Each one waiting, eager, to watch me fall.

A manager once removed me from a travel team,

For standing up for my peers, a noble dream,

Their heart turned cold, they cast me aside,

Yet my spirit endured, unbroken, undenied.

Another used me in the lost and found,

Manipulating, scheming, their ambition unbound,

I was but a pawn in their twisted game,

A step on the ladder to reach their fame.

One spoke with a forked tongue, laced with deceit,

Gossiping and lying, a coward's retreat,

While another talked down, with contempt and disdain,

As if my presence brought nothing but shame.

A self-proclaimed godfather demanded respect,

As if he ruled the roost, without regret,

A delusion of grandeur, power, and control,

But his words couldn't touch my resilient soul.

My personal life, a subject of jest,

For a cruel coworker who couldn't care less,

They mocked my love, my truth, and my pride,

Yet in the face of their scorn, I'd never hide.

Another schemed, placing danger at my feet,

A trap designed to make me stumble and meet defeat,

While two more lied, spinning tales of deceit,

To climb the ladder, their own selfish conceit.

The HR man laughed as I stumbled and fell,

No empathy, no concern, trapped in his shell,

The training manager lied about bonus pay,

Another betrayal, a memory that'll never sway.

A union rep, a confidant turned traitor,

Turned my words to gossip, a twisted creator,

He fanned the flames, made my troubles grow,

But I would not break, I would not bow.

Passengers, too, brought hatred and scorn,

Judging my skin, as if it were a thorn,

One whispered that I should have stayed in school,

Their ignorance, a weapon, they thought to rule.

Through it all, I faced the storm,

A tempest of betrayal, a whirlwind of scorn,

But within me, a fire burned bright,

A beacon of strength, my guiding light.

For every tear shed, every heartache,

I found resilience, a will unbreakable,

Amidst the chaos, I discovered my worth,

An unyielding spirit, a life rebirthed.

Though they tried to shatter me, piece by piece,

I emerged stronger, a warrior, a masterpiece,

No longer a victim, I walked away,

Unchained and free, come what may.

For in the darkest of times, I learned to shine,

To rise above the hurt, the pain, the brine,

In the end, their treachery couldn't break my core,

I found my truth, my strength, and so much more.