You’re put into groups of those who are supposed
To shut up and keep their heads down.
You’re asked to “speak up” when spoken to
And when you do without asking
They tell you to “quiet down”
Make up your fucking mind

Others push you around
Teachers say deal with it, it’s only a few more years
You stand up for yourself:
Tell those bullies to leave you alone
Or throw a punch to scare them off.
They tell you “You’re out of control”,
That “This isn’t like you”
Well maybe if they weren’t telling you to
QUIET DOWN
Maybe they would hear your side of it

At a time when you want to find your voice
When you want to hear a syllable escape your lips
Put goose bumps on skin
And sends crawls down spines
They want you to put your head down
And stop talking.

Silence isn’t always golden
Sometimes its poison
It closes the throat
Adds to the anxiety
And lowers self confidence
To the point where the only thing you
Hear and say is silence

This is my time.
My time to be bold
My time to shout out to the world
“THERE IS A VOICE IN THIS QUIET ONE”
That I can tell you I like art and hate math
They have been hurting my feelings
He makes me feel like a queen
My friends are my sisters and brothers
And I AM SUCCESSFUL AND POWERFUL BEYOND BELIEF
Do your ears hurt?
Because I’m just getting started.