Walking through the corridors

The stained glass windows beaming down light

Dancing colors to confuse the mind

Fantastical and magical

But when you look up, you see the truth

The stories they tell are not happy

They are tales of pain and strife

Of heartache and death

Families being torn apart

People being subjugated and told

“You are not worthy”

“You are not enough”

“You are not human”

You are not human

This phrase rings in my mind

It’s not what they say, but it’s what they mean

It’s what they mean when they look at you

With hate in their eyes

So hot that it almost melts your soul

They are violent

They beat you down

They berate you until you can’t take it anymore

And you lash out

And for it, they call you a monster

You’ve only proven them right

Well I say

Not anymore

Where they spew hot acid at me

I will meet them with all the love I have in my heart

Where they shame me for who I am

I will treat them with kindness and respect

It’s what I owe to those who came before me

They didn’t want a world full of hate

So I won’t hate

I will be better

I promise