the world keeps reminding me
that it is important
that I be loud
that I be passionate
that I be unapologetic
that I take up space
I have mourned
innocence lost
and now choose
to embrace my rage
wear it across my body
a bandoleer
when the world lies
and tells me
that racism
sexism
heterosexism
anti-Semitism
Islamophobia
transphobia
ableism
disregard for human life
is acceptable
I will speak truth
I will not be silenced
I will not be still
I will not be complicit
and I will only smile
if I damn well
feel like it
© 2016 Revised 2020 Christine Elizabeth Ray – All Rights Reserved
Go Dog Go Café 
Yes! We must all stay strong and vocal.
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A great post!
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You go! I like the strength you portray!
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Unapologetically taking space! I LOVE this!!! Absolutely fantastic and much needed to be practiced by everyone.
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Brilliant!
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Finding our own voices, and speaking using that voice out loud, that’s, the first step to freedom, and once we’d taken that step forward, nobody, can take our freedoms away from us!
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Very good!
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Those last 3 lines really nailed it for me. I used to get “Smile!” all the time 🙄(Now that I’m older no one cares to comment.)
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