Who will say, when I was silent, my life was unbearable?
Who will say, when I came forward, my world became unlivable?
Who will ask me why? Who will ask me what I've been through?
Who will care?
Who will take my voice, listen, and understand?
Who will wonder what this has done to my family, my friends, my life
My future?
Who will be brave enough to ask me why I didn't keep quiet?
Who will have the courage to listen to my story, knowing that hearing my Story could change their world forever.

Sometimes, in a less than perfect world, bad things happen
Sometimes they happen again and again, in the same way to different people
Just because no one spoke up
In such a way the pain continues, another hurt, then another, then another

When people see the price I pay for doing what is right
How will they feel about speaking out when they are wronged?
Will seeing my experience, the ridicule, the anger, the rejection, the anguish, encourage them to stand up for what is right?
Or, will it teach them that victims should remain silent…forever?

I have tried to speak and people turn away
The words are too painful, too unbelievable
Too far out of the realm of understanding to fit neatly into their world
The words, alien and foreign, are rejected
Called fantasy, twisted bitterness, misunderstanding or worse
A thousand words and phrases draped over the one word that means the Most

Truth

Copyright © 2001 Daniel C. Smith