A Crumb

All I need is the ability

To be, to do,

To do something, anything,

To fight back, push back

That tide of helplessness,

The scariest thing in all my little kid nightmares,

The difference between an adventure dream,

Running from wolves

Or welcoming their fangs,

And a nightmare,

Helpless as they ate me.

All I need is the freedom

I can give myself

By making my own decisions,

No matter how few options I seem to have,

By fighting,

Clawing at their eyes

And biting the hands that try to silence

Or contain me,

And laughing madly

When I feel like I might cry—

Fighting,

No matter how great the pressure,

How strong the opponent,

How inevitable my failure.

By never letting myself be overpowered.

All I need is a crumb

Of ability,

Of free will,

Of strength,

Of hope.