My name is irrelevant, my age I won’t share
but something’s been weighing on me
and I need you to care

See, my voice is small and often goes unheard
a minority, I am
don’t tell me it’s absurd

When you question my identity,
bring my shortcomings to light
when you tell me it’s nothing
and ask why must I fight?

I shake in my boots like a tree losing leaves
grow my hands into fists
my momma said kindness
so I fight like this

I fight for myself
I fight out of fear
I fight with my knowledge
when I sense ignorance lurks near

I fight for the hopeful
because hope still exists
I fight for the young
we will resist

You do not know of the nights we spend trembling,
waiting for good news to appear
but alas, come morn, good news or none
we whisper to the shadows
“yes, we are still here”

Yes
I am
still here

-z.z