quiet
not to make waves
as i was always
taught
for there is a time for peace
but also a time for
war,
and i am done
listening to these men and these religions
telling me what to do with my body
and my mind;
you will not control me
i am the weapon for saturday--
will not relent
only rage against those who would take
rights away from those who are
abused and taken advantage of
you will feel me like
an earthquake
i was born to shake this world up and change it
for the better,
and you will not silence me with your
bigotry and dogma;
i am a woman,
but i am more than that:
a poet, author, writer, artist, daughter, sister,
friend, the secret keeper, defender
of the weak, believer of justice and love,
dreamer, lover, giver,
the laughter in the golden slant of sunlight
pouring through your windows;
i will keep marching
until my last breath against anyone who would
oppress someone simply because of whom they are
it is more important to be kind than to be right
because in compassion you couldn't be
wrong.
Author Bio:
Linda M. Crate is a Pennsylvanian native born in Pittsburgh yet raised in the rural town of Conneautville. Her poetry, short stories, articles, and reviews have been published in a myriad of magazines both online and in print. Recently her two chapbooks A Mermaid Crashing Into Dawn (Fowlpox Press - June 2013) and Less Than A Man (The Camel Saloon - January 2014) were published. Her fantasy novel Blood & Magic was published in March 2015. Her second novel Dragons & Magic was published October 1st, 2015.