Remember what they said,
About putting myself in your shoes
And putting yourself in my shoes
So we could feel what the other’s feeling
And know just how much it hurts to hurt others?

It’s called empathy.
Look it up
Learn it
Practice it
Live by it
Because I know it exists in this world.
It’s never been done with me
So I don’t know how it feels,

But I know how it feels to be
Hurt
Beaten
Broken
Smashed
Bashed
Hit
Smacked
Punched
Bruised
Bitten
Wounded to the very core of my soul.
And not even physically,
But emotionally,
Socially,
Just tryna break the most of me
Being driven so far that I start thinking
Wouldn’t it be better if I just,
Die?

You know,
This really reaches me on a spiritual level.
But it’s the spiritual level
That I tend to have troubles with
Because I just can’t tell
Whether there’s a god or not
Because I’m down on my knees
I’m praying
But everything is staying the same
And I remain wondering
Whether I should listen to
The people telling me to die,
Or the people telling me to live
Because both seem like good ideas
But one offers me relief while the
Other offers me pain
And I’m trying.

But this isn’t about me,
It’s about you.
It’s about how you let a girl
No older than five
Leave with a man she barely knew
Because she doesn’t know the
Difference between a stranger,
And a familiar
And you let her leave.
Knowing she would never
Smile again
Say hi again
Shine again
Because you let her leave.

Why does skin color even matter?
Are we not all human?
Because my skin is a couple shades darker than yours
I deserve to be
Beaten
Broken
Smashed
Bashed
Hit
Smacked
Punched
Bruised
Bitten
Wounded to the very core of my soul
Because of some stupid stereotype set upon my race?
I’m human.
Just like everyone else
I’m tryna hold onto my life line
Please someone be my life line
Because my life line
Is sure to end
It’s ending.
Because I’ve been reaching out
But no one’s grabbing my hand.

But this isn’t about me,
It’s about you.
Because you
Beat
Brake
Smash
Bash
Hit
Smack
Punch
Bruise
Bite
Wound him to the very core of his soul
Because he prefers to be called she
Because she feels like even though
She was born male,
She is a female.
But she is still human.
She is still allowed to live,
Allowed to breathe,
Allowed to pursue her happiness
Because everyone has the right to
The pursuit of happiness
So keep pursuing
Keep dreaming
Keep wishing
Keep hoping
And try to find your peace

I’m trying to find my peace.
But how can I find my peace when
I’m falling to pieces?
Because the rumbling in my stomach
Is too great
I’m homeless
Shelter less
Waterless
Foodless
Succumbed to the streets
Singing my song of sorrow

I’m as free as a jailed bird trapped in a cage
It’s wings broken by it’s master
So it may never fly again.
I’m suffocating in this
Small, small space,
I sing of freedom.
I chirp my melody
As the pain envelopes me
And the realization dawns upon me
That I’ll never see my parents again

And the smoldering heat
Scorches my skin
As I bend over to pick the crops
That cut my raw hands
Forcing myself to ignore
The small crimson beads of blood.
I’m not allowed to cry
I’m not allowed to whine
Or take a break
I’m wounded to the very core of my soul.

But this isn’t about me,
It’s about you
And that thing called empathy
Where I should put myself in your shoes
And yourself in my shoes
Look it up
Learn it
Practice it
Live by it
Because I know it exists in this world.
It’s never been done with me,
So I don’t know how it feels,
But I do know how it feels,
To be hurt.