On Dignity

On Dignity

I do not bestow dignity
I do not pick and choose
I live in a shell
that’s built
of insight and ignorance
inspiration and prejudice
I look out its windows
which sometimes I choose
for their clarity
and sometimes don’t notice their tint.

I am small
and trying to be big
and dignity is big
and all my mistakes
make me doubt my dignity
make me think it’s not here
in my shell

So I search for it out there
and seek to find it in the world’s
darkest places
So that maybe
In my darkest places
I will find it too

and one day
I hope to believe 
that dignity is not mine to bestow 
on myself
It is stronger than my faults
and stronger than my failures
stronger than my doubts 
I want to believe that too.