A hand held out in friendship shown
Is slowly now received
Confidence is slowly grown
when truth is not deceived
A friendly smile to hide the pain
An outside front put on
Knowing that there's much to gain 
And all hope is not gone.
A questioning mind and a loving heart
That just has been too hurt
Waiting now to take its part
A seedling in the dirt
Outside appearance hiding truth
But now I'm accepted
The only way I found truth
was risk being rejected.

Lloyd McLean.(1993)
 

This poem is part of the Horses and Things collection