I used to cower underneath a blanket

in the comfort of my bed

as thunder growled outside.

I used to cry into my pillow

when I missed daddy

as my mom got him on the phone one more time.

 

She said, 

"you’re getting too old for this." 

 

I used to hide behind my mom

when we went out in public

because i didn’t know anyone.

I used to keep quiet 

when someone asked me a question

and my mom would nod and say “go on."

 

Then I got older and the world began to change.

The things I was scared of weren’t just storms and talking anymore. 

They started to tell me “Grow up, Zoe.”

“You’re not a kid anymore.” 

So, I did. 

 

I grew up. 

I became aware of everything out there. 

Everything. 

I became obsessed with the idea that there was evil in the world,

and I was going to fight it. 

They started to tell me to keep quiet.

They said that girls like me weren’t supposed to be like this. 

That I was supposed to shy away from speaking out.

That I wasn’t supposed to be there, bleeding out

the words like they were coming from some Godly destination.

I wasn’t supposed to want to put myself in that situation.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, “Is this not what you wanted?”

 

And just like that, i’m shut down again.

It’s like no matter what age I am,

I’ll never fit in.

Because society always wants you to be what you’re not.

And when you change and adapt to whatever they got,

they change their minds and all of their thoughts,

so that you’re back to square one, back to the start.

 

Society will tell you that you need to grow up when you’re young,

so you’ll do just that, but then they’ll say you’re wrong.

That you’re too young to be thinking like that;

“C’mon now, don’t be dreaming like that.”

They’ll say children have no place in politics.

But it’s funny, children are about as mature in politics as it gets.

The adults are the ones running around, running their mouths every chance they get.

The children are the one fighting for whatever future we get.

But that’s just it, they don’t quit.

But they’ll always hear, “What are you trying to prove? You’re just a kid.”