How dare I?
You stand there,
Pairing my name with obscenities,
Calling me criminal,
Condemning words dripping from you lips
Like blood from the mouth of a predator.
Dangerous? Ha!
Yes! How dare I think for myself!
How dare I look beyond stereotypes!
Take me away!
Let me rot in a cell for my crimes!
Ignorant fool that I am,
Accuse me then! I laugh!
Trod upon my name!
Make your accusations!
I do here confess
To the following crimes.
I am an individual,
A non-conformist,
A loner.
Furthermore,
I disagree with you,
So condemn me.
I admit to seeing beauty
In those who do not
Rival Helen or Aphrodite.
I have opinions and desires,
Dreams and wishes, that
Belong to none but me.
I am guilty. Imprison me!
I hereby refuse legal council,
And choose to represent myself
In this court of manners and high fashion.
I plead insanity,
For clearly, I must be insane,
So mock me for it!
I shall never be moved,
And I will not be swayed,
For I am myself,
So I confess.
I see you staring.
All eyes upon me.
I will meet your eyes.
But you look away. Why?
I see you,
Yes, you, who accused me,
Forced me to endure
An unprovoked attack.
Do you fear me?
Do you hate me?
Do you envy me?
I speak, stating again,
Words already once recorded.
What else can I say?
I will not be led through life!
So I confess,
And now, I look to all of you.
Decide quickly.
I feel my time growing short.
Cool and confident.
Yes, I see it in your eyes.
Each of you,
Called upon to judge me.
So, you have made your decision,
Unanimous and certain?
As always, you share a single mind.
I can see you condemning me.
Was there no doubt?
You try my patience.
Tell me!
Tell me I am guilty!
Confirm to me your belief
That I endanger your precious society!
My mind is screaming at you,
Say it now!
Silence.
A murmur.
Guilty.
And now I am alone.
Perhaps I have always been as such.
How foolish I was
To think that a spark of individuality
Could shine for even a second
In a world of such conformity
Without being stomped out.
And for all you've done to me,
I can only pity you.
You, the accuser, the judge, and the jury.
You, one of many, a fraction of the whole,
Incomplete.
Yes, indeed, I was foolish
To think that you could understand me,
And now I am alone,
And my thoughts go in circles.
