When I was in third grade, I wrote a poem about changing the world

When I was in third grade, I thought that the world

Was made of rainbows and glitter

But I knew sadness

I knew grief

I knew loneliness

 

I knew a sliver of what I know now

About this world

That injustice is inevitable

That inequality is unavoidable

I have lost hours of my life lying awake at night

Just thinking

About how the world pains

About how there are genocides and civil wars

Natural disasters, Plagues, Nuclear weapons

Honor killings, Homeless veterans

Domestic violence, Malnutrition

Racial profiling

Child soldiers, child brides

Modern day slavery

Poverty, Climate change

Mass incarcerations, Human rights violations

Forced assimilations, Deportations

Greed Censorship Narcissism Corruption

Selfishness

 

When I was in third grade, I wrote a poem about changing the world

I am inspired by the girl that wrote that poem

And who had that dream

As I know that to some degree I am

Still that third grade girl with those big dreams

Of social change, just a little more prepared

Now to actually make it happen.

Many times I made choices in order to be liked

Rather than to change the way the world works

But that third grade girl reminds me

Sometimes there are more important things than myself

That third grade girl was not afraid to have big dreams

And her determination inspires

Maybe someone else can change the world

And maybe that someone is

Me.