Blood-Hands

Blood

Hands

I look around

How did I

Get here

No

How did we

Get here

To this place of

Rioting

Festering

Loathing

Hatred

When I was young

I had big aspirations

I was going to be

A veterinarian

I would run

An animal shelter

I would make

A difference

But there are other

Things I want to do

I could be

A special education teacher

Helping kids with differences

Like me

Supporting them

Teaching them

Being a mentor

I would still have that

Animal shelter

Because it's important

To me

But now I begin to

Doubt

If these dreams

Could ever be

Could a nonbinary person

With a feminine appearance

Be a successful person

Or would I instead

Be taken to jail

For

"Corrupting young minds"

I look down again

Blood

Hands

But this is not 

My blood

And these are not

My hands

These are the hands

Of a nation

To which I

Reluctantly belong

This is the blood of

The innocent people

Who have been

Stripped of their

Houses

Jobs

Opportunities

Rights

Who have been

Thrown in jail

Like criminals

When in reality

They have done

Nothing wrong

I look around

And all I see

Is

Blood

Hands

And I am

Paralyzed

Knowing this blood

Could belong to

Me

Someday

Knowing these hands

Could be mine

If I stray

Blood

Hands