Vitriol
Around the school,
But wider than that,
More encompassing.
Collective cruelty,
Choking the world
With harsh words
And angry glances.
And you wish you could change it,
But you can’t.
You walk along the crowds
Of the stifling schoolhouse halls
Keeping your head low
To avoid to harsh whispers
You’re an animal among the flames.
You dodge and twist,
Avoiding burning words
And choking on ashen, hot glances.
You see the flaws in others,
Blind to any potential.
Others swarm around you,
Swarm, like insects,
Bugs to crush.
You are an iron boot,
You are flames among the forest.
Most try to ignore your leaping flames,
But you singe and burn
With a tongue like a hot knife.
You see them flinch.
You grin.
Others could step in, you know.
You know you would stop,
Smolder out,
Spare your prey.
But no one wants to fight a fire
You flinch at your reflection,
A stranger in your own skin,
Vulnerable,
All curves and feminine,
Not yourself
Even under baggy clothes
In the halls, you fidget and glance,
A hare, a stag
Ready to bound away
At the first hint of smoke.
You’ve been burned before.
You lean against the lockers,
Black cloth against red metal.
You pretend to laugh with your friends,
Paying no attention
Until you see her pass by.
And, as much as she denies it,
Wears baggy clothing,
Stays in her guard of male friends,
Has all of the things you want-
Fair hair, soft skin, a cheerleader’s form-
And chooses to hide it in false gender.
She walks, head held low.
You know you are the flames she avoids.
You are the fire,
The biting flames,
Envious and enraged
That she would readily throw away
All you ever wanted.
You will singe her with words,
Blacken her hair,
Remind her of what she denies,
The pure feminine appearance.
You are tall,
You are muscle,
Plain hair,
And bitter.
You are vengeance,
So remind her what she threw away.
You walk among the halls,
Head held high
Even under its cloth.
Even under the threats
And anger of others.
Under persecution
For your beliefs,
For your thoughts,
For your love of your religion.
You are taunted.
You are burnt.
You are singed and hurt
By words.
Terrorist.
Dangerous.
Psycho.
Towel-head.
You walk on.
You will ignore them,
Follow the advice
They only claim to follow.
Their hypocrisy is clear
As you turn the other cheek.
You watch the girl stalk through the halls,
Under a patterned Hijab.
Her head is held high
In falsetto pride.
A danger,
Your peers say.
A terrorists,
Your parents say.
Different,
You say,
But not harmful,
Not a danger,
Not a terrorist.
You don’t hate her.
You don’t fear her.
You almost feel bad
For burning words,
Singeing remarks,
Biting glances,
But you don’t stop.
If you stood up,
If you stop this,
If you are kind
Or quiet,
You would be different.
And she is a clear example
Of what happens to people who are different.
You are not different.
You won’t be different.
You will be average,
Normal,
Blending in,
A flame among flames.
Around the school,
But wider than that,
More encompassing.
Collective cruelty,
Choking the world
With harsh words
And angry glances.
And you wish you could change it,
But you can’t.
Kind words are all you can give.