A Poem About Changing the World
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.