Remember the days
when you couldn’t stop singing
dancing and dressing up
laughing and grinning?
Well that was before
they all mocked how you dressed
said you would never
fit in with the rest
and so you stopped smiling
and changed what you wore
when music plays
you do not dance anymore
in case you look silly
in case you look daft
for fear it will dredge up
those memories past
for fear that you’ll feel
like you used to back then
embarrassed and worthless
again and again
see you stopped singing loudly
then stopped altogether
stopped being someone
that they would remember
but there’s a girl watching
she’s looking to you
trying to figure out
what she should do
should she stop singing
and swallow her voice?
pick outfits to wear
that would not be her choice?
should she resist urges
to get up and dance
cause sitting there quietly
no one will laugh
but neither will she
she will not know the feeling
of singing so loudly
and dancing so freely
she won’t understand
all the power she holds
to do as she chooses
and not as she’s told
so warm up your voice
and then strike up the band
pick out your clothes
and get ready to dance
and smile as you do so
think of that girl
she’s the one trapped inside you
so do it for her
Autumn 