I loved to read

I yearned to share

and I needed to learn.

I read for endless hours

I could answer every question

and I just wanted more

I danced and sang

I skipped and played

I had friends

I was happy

and I was ok

The fire inside me burnt bright

with brilliant sparks of amber and rose

Shining flames of gold and maroon

My spark my joy

my love

burned passionatly

but they dont like optimistic little girls

so they said stop reading

stop talking

stop learning

they all

said

Shup up

stay down

Go away

Before long I stopped caring

I stopped trying

I stopped smiling

I just cried

and scrolled

and slept

I quit laughing

I quit singing

I quit talking

They stopped out my flame

The drowned me

They caused my sparks to fall into

piles of sad grey ashes

and I became a shell of myself

That no one could recognize

…

🫀