YOU

A Message to Readers: The following poem is reflective of every person who finds satisfaction in taking away from other people their mirth. If you have ever gone to someone, excited to share something that was dear to you and have been snubbed, you would associate. The purpose is to help you understand that if this happens to you, it is not reflective of you. You have the right to have passion, to appreciate the little things in life, to dance around and sing when you find joy. Do not let anyone take that away from you. For those who actually do this, perhaps you should introspect. You may not share the same interest but that gives you no right to embarrass another for loving something. If you cannot relate, then rejoice. You are being trusted to celebrate happiness, do not betray the faith placed in you.

On a creaky, old wooden armchair

You sit, arms crossed, lips pursed;

Staring away into the nothingness,

Something sinister burning in your eyes.

 

A child runs to you, innocent,

Carrying a peculiar stone he found,

Showing it to you, all smiles,

Face falling as you throw it away.

 

On the school playground you stand,

Rigid and cold, uninviting to most;

Tapping your foot against the green grass,

You await pain, for amusement.

 

A friend hops about in happiness,

His favorite football team won the match;

Halting to a stop, with forehead creased

As he hears you call it nonsense banter.

 

Sitting on the edge of the bed,

You watch your sibling concentrating;

The view count on the screen goes up,

You smile, biding your time.

 

Excited, she turns to you, teary-eyed,

“We hit a billion views, a record!”

You brush it away as energy wasted,

Crushing joy with twisted logic.

 

Twiddling your thumbs, walking about

You impatiently wait for a victim;

The invalidation counter rests at zero,

But then an opportunity presents itself.

 

You see a girl gushing over a book

Inhaling the fragrance of the pages;

You walk over, announcing, “What a nerd,”

Snatching it from her, dropping it to the ground.

 

A child afraid to share discovery,

A friend embarrassed to have passion,

A sister suppressing her healing,

A stranger questioning herself.

 

Because of you.