Growing up in a culture where
you are not supposed to exist,
you become accustomed to the generosity
of people trying
to fix you, to
force you into a shape
they can understand.

I did not know how exhausting it was,
trying to remain elastic
in a world that demands us to be static,
trapping us in binary boxes where
we wilt in our confinement but,
against societal expectations,
we refuse to suffocate ourselves
for your comfort.

Together, we will stand in the light,
heads held high with unmatched pride
for we have fought too long and
too hard for our right
to be here
to live silently with
our heads bowed low
any longer.

when the world was cruel
and you impair

you were alone
and had no give back

when you were bulldozed
for aims you never had

your personality was rescind
and disguised to regular

when you had no choice to
leave and move ahead
you bore the odium of nugatory pack

when you were so good
and gave all your best

you were loathed
and clepe as bad

times when heartbroken you cried to sleep
your head under pillow
words unavowed bide

You turned cold with FIRE inside
it would have been better
IF YOUR SILENCE SPOKE OTHERWISE ....

How does one live
In a world like this?
All I want is to scream
I want to fight this world
I want to fight this evil
Thoughts about injustice
Distract me from progress
The useless progression
Of human knowledge
Rendered null by infinity
Because there's so much more
And I want to seek it!
How do we stay still
While we watch the world burn?
But it was always meant to burn!
And it was always to be
At our hands
All we do here is die
We wither and rot
Until our last breath
We worship plastic
We crave poison
Of course we court death!
Of course we flee this despair!
Of course we watch our flesh bleed!
Of course!
Because that’s what we do
When we rebel against hope.

Snip

        s
          n
             i
               p

Falling gently to the floor
Resembling
Remembering
What I had
What I lost

Taking the scissors
Looking up at the misters
Glancing at my sisters

What have I done?
I've but my life on display

You see this hair?
This is only fair
This is mine
So quit acting as though it were thine
Lets see who's in control now

Inch after inch
Flinch after flinch
Wave after wave
I gave and I gave
Well, here's my way
To say
Let my live my life
My way

You want to control me
No, let me be
I need to be free

I need your love
Set free the dove
Surrender it
Don't throw a fit

Don't be mad
That's just sad
Be proud
Just don't be too loud

I see the look on your face
Look ahead in this race
I take a bow
Look at me; see me now

- Jay M
May 13th, 2019

I was good at being good.
Then somehow it all fell apart.
I either felt too tight
Or,
They thought I was'nt right.
Either way, I m no longer what I used to be.

Tonight I’m in no mood for dancing,
The man in the office,
You know the one,
He’s got a nice tie,
He tells you who you’re gonna be,
In the name of education.
He sat me down,
Looked me in the eye and told me,
There’s nothing here for you,
Sorry son,
You’ve gotta go join a rock n’roll band.
Well that’s what I heard anyway.

Let me tell you this,
Circles don’t fit squares.
Ram a circle into a square if you dare,
You’ll have to make that square so large,
That it takes my soul with it,
Only then might you get me,
But it’ll never be a perfect fit,
Just smothered and suffocated.

The internal beast of truth,
Will never tolerate perceived normality,
It’s only instinct is to rebel,
Insanity is preferable,
Instability a comfort,
There is no reasoning,
Drown in your own angry rebellion,
Sink to the bottom with a smile.

Did you know they can forget us?
Tell us who’s worth it,
Who to listen to,
Who to respect,
Without a window into their being,
Instead you’re told who they are,
And what they represent.
Did you know you could be forgotten?
There’s no loyalty out here,
Your legacy in the hands of others,
Your worth in the balance of an agenda,
So what are you gonna do about it?
Fade into history?
Become a distant memory?
What you’ve gotta do,
Is represent something so loud and true,
That when the herd comes to trample and step down on you,
Those who connect to your cause,
Have no choice but to step up.

Come on and get heard,
We’re not finished here yet,
Come on make the message louder,
I want to hear it,
Louder,
Let me listen,
We gotta get heard,
We gotta get this message out there somehow,
Maybe we’ve gotta take it straight to the people,
Let them hear it,
Louder,
Give them a chance for change,
Pleasure the beast of truth,
Aggravate normality,
Destroy perceptions,
Let’s go!

Now come on,
Why don’t you tell me,
Tell me how it’s gonna be,
Come on,
Just tell me.
Tell me what I’m gonna like,
Who I’m gonna be,
Where I’m gonna go,
Just tell me.
I’m standing here,
Why don’t you just tell me,
Tell me how it’s gonna be.
Tell me how to dress,
How to laugh,
How to love,
Why don’t you just come on over here and tell me,
Tell me how it’s gonna be,
I’m still waiting,
I’m still sinking.

Zach Ascot

She adorns her face with platinum
piercings, and her azure hair peeks
out of her indigo hoodie. Her
ragged, cinereous jeans reveal
scabbed and bruised knees, and
they’re tucked into jet black
biker boots strapped to her feet.

Without hesitation, she crosses the street.

Tires screech and car horns beep and drivers
scream obscenities that ornament the air
with scorn. Yet like a red belonging in folklore,
she slights their violent contempt.

She tipples from the burn of
self-destruction, and savors the
flavor of rebellion, a savor so
sweet it overwhelms her senses
and compels her to behave reckless.

And as I pass, I throw up my best fist
of anarchy. I wish I was free like this.

Though it takes a tinge of toughness
to stare into the nihilistic abyss,
it takes courage to have fun in it.


-
Aleksander Mielnikow