Betrayal

My Father once told me          
the biggest lesson in Life
is not to betray yourself            
in the midst of betrayal             
           
For the longest time            
I wasn't sure what he meant;            
despite asking            
he wouldn't provide examples            
           
Years past, and one day
In high school a "friend"            
betrayed a confidence;            
           
she violated my trust-            
I struck back, spilled my guts;           
revealed everything
she'd confided in me with            
           
I thought, "All's fair in revenge!"            
But I was wrong, and then some           
           
In growth we're given the syllabus            
before the test to see if we've learned;            
it will determine if we repeat the class            
           
Sometimes years fan            
between incidences           
others, weeks or minutes          
           
It's always when we think
we've risen above, that the pop quiz
will hit the desk            
at any given hour of the day      

I'll tell you what I do know now:       
           
I hadn't betrayed my "friend"            
I'd betrayed myself              
           
It took one time            
waking up with the enemy            
to realize that hard truth            
           
So, continue to stab me with your            
sharpest knife of vitriolic gossip
behind my back-I learned young            
what my Father meant;            
           
And while I've slipped, I'll be damned            
if I repeat that class;        
       
Your secrets are safe 
with me-and we both know
you have plenty
~