Rise

They point guns at our heads and we try to refuse,

They shove a bullet down our throats until we cough out restraint,

Until we choke out an apology,

Until we choke on the words that were meant to be spoken,

They make us kneel during our “song of freedom”,

They force us to praise the flag in flames,

The dream has become a nightmare,

And it’s about time I take a stand,

It’s about time I open my eyes that have been blinded by suppression,

It’s about time I realize the gravity of the situation and the belittlement of my own,

I raise my voice because this voice is not my own,

This voice is our voice,

This voice is a fight for what’s right,

They have lost sight of the original mission,

And I think they need a reminder,

I cannot be on the sidelines and just watch for any longer,

We are a lighting torch people are trying to extinguish,

They are trying to force equality into extinction without any acknowledgement or recognition,

There is only a thick line of distinction, but let us become one to get rid of this conviction,

This is an outcry,

This is a war,

This is beyond mere survival,

This is for true freedom.