How Could You
Sometimes it's the little things
That cut deeply Your words cut like a razor blade Glinting menacingly Against my skin Sometimes it's the little things That I don't think you even understand Are wrong Sometimes it's the little things That become the big ones A deepening spiral of hatred Starting with Just one word Words don't matter, right? Wrong. How could you say "faggot" in front of me? A word rooted in cruelty An ugly word A hateful word But that's right, you didn't know How could you say "that's so gay" in front of me? Just because some men found joy I wearing lipstick? You didn't need to rip that happiness away But that's right, you didn't know How could you say "I mean... gay people do make me sort of uncomfortable" in front of me? Tearing down the bricks I'd built around myself A world I'd drawn myself into One less like ours One full of love Now crumbled at my feet But that's right, you didn't know How could you say "it's like she's a lesbian or something" in front of me? Just because a girl finds solace in hugs Blinded by childhood You tried to hurt her With a word that's not an insult You'll never know That I still remember that But that's right, you didn't know How could you hold my flag But still preach so much hate? The face of a nation of liberty Bringing hot tears to my eyes That spill out, uncontrollable burning tracks down my cheeks But that's right, you didn't know How could you kill someone like me? Point a gun and shoot A crack piercing the air Then silence Plunging a celebration of pride Into morning Even if you didn't point the gun, our society built the man who did But that's right, you didn't know You didn't know That I was watching That I was listening That I had been plunged into a world of confusion A storm of labels None of them seeming quite right You didn't know That I wasn't sure if I was gay Or bisexual Or pansexual That I felt lost Even in a community of love, acceptance, and rainbow flags That I was escaping through my drawings Because this world was simply too frightening You didn't know But now you do Please don't do it again You never know who might be listening