Where Did I Learn That? - Noaa Rienecker

Where did I learn that?
I can’t even remember,
It’s been true so long.

Climbing up the rope,
    descent looks embarrassing,
        letting go fatal.

    Look at this fort I built!
Look at the time I put into
Its flags and artillery
    Look at the blood and tears I’ve spilt!

I learned who I am
From someone else, god knows why
but it’s all I’ve got.

Immersed in colleagues’
    familiar miasma,
        I must hold my own.