The Retaliation of Fear

There's no storybook good and evil
We've all got a little bit of good, a little bit of evil
And yet we cease to grasp the fact that
Denying that drop of evil is what sparks even more to awaken

There are a million little communities out there
Flags of black and white stripes and proud bold letters
Every shade of the rainbow and respective triangles blanketing some

Because they're there for us
Even if we don't know it
Even if we deny it
Even if we don't show it

Meanwhile for years that only piggyback on the coming years
We are locked away in this damp, rusty no-windowed cage

Perhaps for our skin color
Our disabilities
Our identity
Or even our pure vulnerabilities
Or even our voice---
Our bravery to speak out against what we know isn't quite right

They relentlessly shut us down
Muffle our bravery, our voices
Not because they think we're wrong but because they're scared
Perhaps they're not too different from us

And they themselves are afraid to reveal their quirks
They themselves are afraid to speak
They themselves are afraid to face reality

And so they pose us as wrong
Wrong, for speaking out
Wrong, for being unique
Wrong, for being brave

Because it seems to help them cope with their own
Fear of speaking out
Fear of being unique
Fear of being brave

It's okay if you're scared
It's okay if they're scared

I just don't understand what's right
About silencing our voices
Just because you're afraid

elise.writer

VT

15 years old

More by elise.writer

  • butterflies

    i don't want to love someone

    because i'm supposed to

    you told me, one night in mid-july.

    warm air and sun fading in the sky,

    i want to fall in love with someone

  • lotus

    i've heard this story a thousand times before.

    i've seen it unfold. it started with a glance, became a smile,

    became a longing. when i realized it was my turn,

    i was too late. no one told me how hard it would be