Your needs aren’t special,

So they don’t matter.

You’re supposed to do what I say,

Don’t ask questions.

Forget about yourself, be only for others, 

And please be quiet.

You’re too smart, others feel bad,

You don’t want to make others feel stupid,

Do you?

I know you know the answers, but

Stop raising your hand so much,

Just be quiet.

Who are you to come along, 

And act like you’re entitled to have feelings too?

You didn’t know them.

Stop acting like you did.

You’re not one of us.

Mind your own business

And be quiet.

It doesn’t matter if you want it or not,

It doesn’t matter if you say no.

Pretending to enjoy it won’t make it be over any faster either,

And no one will ever believe you if you tell.

So you may as well just 

Be quiet.

You’re disruptive, you’re insubordinate.

You’re verbose and have raw intellect,

You have so much potential

But your questions undermine me

And if you’re the only one speaking up,

These problems must not be real.

You could be great someday,

If only you’ll just do what I say.

Stop questioning.

Stop thinking.

Stop talking.

For G-d’s sake, just

Be quiet.

In honor of World Poetry Day, and to kick back at everyone who’s demanded silence of me for my entire life, because they didn’t like that I had a voice and knew how to use it. Indeed, I don’t know how not to use my voice. To everyone who’s ever been muted – do NOT be quiet. Let them hear you. Your volume is not the problem, their reception is.