When I was in the wrong

for talking to a girl

or using foul words,

my father would put me to work

chopping the wood of the ground.

To uproot the roots of the crab apple,

creating crabby moods

from moves made of innocent nature

but not according to the rules of nurture

and the holy rules of the sovereign.

Why is the snooping

of those who are older

not scolded likewise

to the actions of a child?

Or are adult offenses more mild?

It’s wild to think

that I was beguiled into believing

every adult, every stranger, only the elders

knew what is best

for the rest of my generation.

Without representation

we were controlled and combined

into just another chore

to take care of and ignore

the wants and needs of more people.

It’s time to wake up and see

that everything you said was “meant to be”

was meant for you and not for us.

You’ve lost our trust,

and your right to rule.

Be stripped of your tools

used to tamper and pamper us

into the roles you never wanted.

It’s our time to shine, our time to be stars,

our time to be who we truly are.

And your time to sleep six feet beneath our feet.