Stand

“You stink!”

“You’re weird!”

I’ve heard it before.

Those words always changed me.

Made me careful how I dress.

How I talk.

Who I am.

They taunted me.

They hurt me.

They called me last week’s trash.

I cried all night,

my pillow wet,

my heart is made of ash.

Why does no one stand up?

No one step forward?

You know it’s not right.

You know it’s not true.

You know these things are changing you.

Stand.

Stand up and stand out.

Say that it’s wrong

when they think it’s right.

Stand.

Stand up for the truth.

Stand.