I’m On My Own

At school I learned to work hard, to reach my goals and succeed,

But not how to cope with my world crumbling before my eyes,

Leaving me confined within my own mind, tortured by my thoughts

They taught me to make friends,

But not that those friendly faces I would learn to love

Were nothing more than carefully crafted masks

I was taught to be myself, to not care what they thought,

Not that when I revealed my imperfections;I’d be left vulnerable to society’s labels

Fat, ugly, stupid, slut, whore-just another victim betrayed by my own

They told us bullying was wrong,

Yet we were never taught compassion, kindness and love

Leaving us trapped in a never ending cycle of “accidents”, “misunderstandings” and hatred

I was taught to ask questions and ask for help when I don’t understand

Not how to find someone that will listen and support without judgment,

When my own heart, shattered like glass, is cutting me; causing me to bleed out

So thank you society, thank you school,

You have prepared me for the future well-the future you chose for me,

One where we're nothing but mindless robots void of emotion-blindly following others

There will come a day, when we will give up fighting, give up resisting you

All traces of our humanity will cease to exist

We will mold into the people you want us to be…. Your wish come true

But I have not yet given up hope; I've only learned the moral to my story

Humans are murderers of kind hearts, uniqueness and originality

Their attempts at help and guidance are meaningless compulsories

I'm alone in this world, forced to find my own path, to become the person I choose

On my own; I will learn the ways of the world

On my own; I will create my own identity, free of your judgment 

And only alone will I thrive