My cries are muffled by the ideas I was taught. “Stop that,” becomes a phrase I wear like a piece of jewelry that never comes off.

Every time I bow out,
and shut down.
I give you the power
to speak up,
to speak over,
to speak for,
me.

If I could talk to
Seventeen-year-old me
I wouldn’t.
Instead,
I’d sit crisscross applesauce
Empathizing

I hope you discover the world can be kind
That you stake out a place to call home
And take off your coat planning to stay awhile