Say Something

Rebecca-Lin Talmadge

They say this is good for us

This place will be our home

But they don't warn you of the hate you will face

This place is supposed to be safe

A place without hate

But there's no one here to stop it from reciprocating.

You say stand up for your name

But at the end of the day

I'm broken and bruised

Too tired to keep moving

How am I supposed to stand up for my name

If I am alone in all this hate 

When will you say something

You were given a title to teach us

A title that you are so important

So when will you use that title to help us

You say this job is your pay check

But it’s much more than that

You’re supposed to keep us safe

Not surrounded by hate

Will it take a tragedy?

A coffin in the ground

For you to open your eyes

And accept that this hatred is all around

When will you stop ignoring,

The girl in the back of the room with the tear stains on her paper

Or the boy that keeps skipping class because he’s afraid of being hated

When will you say something?