you say

i have a lack of

patience

that i anger

quickly

that i falter easily

that i wear

my emotions

on my sleeve

that i alienate

those around me

and myself

willingly

that the perceived perception of my reality

isn't the reality your perception's perceiving

like it's a bad thing.

you say

i'm defensive and

stubborn and

pessimistic and

elitist and

awkward like

it's a bad thing

like you've never

been beaten

been broken

been cheated

been mistreated

been misheard

been misunderstood

been neglected

been dejected

like you've never

been real

been alive

been lying

on the floor

dying and

had not a single soul

shed a tear

like you expect me

to take your naysaying nonsense

with the proverbial grain of salt

take a spoonful of sugar

with your medicinal doctrine

of benevolence and apathy

youre preaching

but i'm sorry

i have a god

and he most certainly

is not

you

i won't

pray

at the shrine

of your corporate idols

and your

status quo

won't infiltrate the

fortress of my mind

instead of trying to

fix me

why don't you get to

know me

understand

that red hair might mean i'm fiesty

but this is not my natural hair color

and i might cross my arms

because it makes me feel safe

and held like i never was

and i might be defensive

because it's the only way to survive

when you're being thrown down a flight of stairs

and i might not have patience

because waiting around

will only get you killed

and i might be defiant

but have you ever looked around

at a crumbling world

and held the answer on the tip of your tongue

but you couldn't speak

because you have breasts

yeah

i didn't think so

judge not

lest ye

be judged

yet there you are

writing numbers down

on paper

that define my whole existance

as you know it

standardized testing

made for mice in a maze

applied to my very human form

and you don't seem

to look

at the girl

behind these glasses

and you don't

seem

to care

that i

i

i am not a number