A Letter to the Buddha (poem)

Earning your own self-respect
is more important
than the respect
of any passerby.
since when
has the beetle
proved itself
to the giraffe?
even the dung beetle
is happy
rolling around
in the mud.
it never waits
to get that nod
from the highest giraffe
for he has already accepted himself.
so why treat yourself
like a tender china doll
afraid to even move?
shouldn’t you be happy, too?