other
she...HE
them
they think:
!! oooh!
wag-wag, shake-shake
said the fingers and heads
for shame!
shaped her tight thin lips
he said
I WANT YOU
to get your act together
and out of the way
you're interrupting
the flow of this
stagnation

feel the pressure
of the pointing finger:
sinner!
you're going to
BURN!

don't point that at me--
it's got a nail in it
and yes i'll burn--
i'm burning now
so help me God
let this fire
melt a heart
warm this cold world
let even one
know hope:
we are not alone
God likes us:
the screw-ups
the rebels who want
more
want out
the dreamers
the tired prisoners
who dare
to dream of flowers
clouds and sunshine
beyond these gray
cell walls
and keep scraping
keep singing
in the dark
dancing
against our chains
wearing down
the defenses
of them
other

they cannot brain
wash us "clean"
up our acts
we need this dirt
this clay
to shape
to play
we won't listen
to them
we know
a universe can come
from a wet void
God's image can be formed
from mud

so it's okay
if we don't
look nice or feel good
if we don't
glitter and sparkle
if we're real
the flush of life inside
will make us
glow