Readying

I'm not here to be silent
to be hopeless
to shrug my shoulders and skulk away to hide my head under a pillow
to think "oh well, thats the way it is, deal with it'
with hands thrown up in the air
I'm not here to be silenced
and my hands aren't for despair
they're for creation, communication, action
in response to prevalent nastiness, ignorance, and bombast
my voice will not disappear to satisfy those that would rather not hear
not listen
to anyone
I'm not here to have my ears boxed
the noise of audacity, privilege
drowning out those we need to hear most
I seek out hills, treetops
my ears perked
I've decided this is the year of listening
of learning
of seeking
of joining my hands outstretched to anyone else that feels silenced
let us talk to each other
but, let us listen too with ears open and preconceptions off
I'm here to listen now
(Flint, Standing Rock, Aleppo, Venezuela, Haiti, South Sudan- I see you, I hear you, I feel you)
I'm here
and I'm ready