My English homework asks me to name things

that are considered taboo in society.

You know what people don't like to talk about?

Sexual assault, the fact that there is no gender binary,

sexuality, mental illness, self harm, sex, masturbation,

natural things like acne, body hair, menstruation, what drives

people to do drugs, sex trafficking, 

people who are treated as less than human,

police brutality, domestic violence, animal cruelty, 

emotional abuse, I could go go on and on.

There are so many things society tells me

I am not allowed to talk about.

 

My landlord tells me that I act how a lady should act,

quiet.

This poem screams, "I am tired of keeping quiet,

and I want somebody to talk about these things."

Tell me how you are supposed to educate when

you are scared to talk about it.

How are we supposed to raise awareness

if we are silenced?

 

I have no experience with many of these topics,

so I want to use this poem for other people to voice

their opinions.  I want this poem to be an empty building

with white walls for you to paint your story on.

 

Maybe people do graffiti because they have no other outlet.

Why do we paint over vandalism?

Why do people's words on other people's walls lower the wall's value? 

Why do we silence victims?

Why do we insist on painting over their voices?

 

Why am I not allowed to talk about 

my mental illness at family parties?

When listing my accomplishments, how come I'm not allowed to put,

"I haven't thought of suicide in months. 

My mental illness is a five year old with markers 

and I'm chasing after him with cleaning supplies 

trying to keep up with the mess.

The inside of my cheek is mainly made up of 

scar tissue, but this year my mouth

is hurting more than my heart." 

 

Terrible things happen. They are swept under the rug

and painted over like nothing ever happened.