Them
They tell you
You're too loud
You're too proud
You're too soft
They tell you
Don't walk that way
Don't talk that way
Don't dress that way
They tell you
Be polite
Stay small
Smile more
They tell you
It’s just a phase
You’ll grow out of it
Don’t make a scene
They tell you
This isn’t the place
This isn’t the time
This isn’t the way
They tell you
Don't listen to your heart
Don’t trust your reflection
Don’t name what you know
So I say:
Don’t listen to them…
| . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Keeping It Vague
I kept them intentionally vague in this piece because they shift. Sometimes they are lawmakers, sometimes family. Sometimes it is a stranger’s glare, sometimes a voice in your own head. The power in leaving it unsaid is that every reader brings their own story. In this poem, the concrete gives way to the collective: not one moment of silencing, but the weight of many.
We often hear too many voices telling us who we should be and how we should act. Over time, these messages can wear us down and quietly chip away at our spirit. If you’re feeling the weight of that pressure, know that you don’t have to carry it alone. Reach out. Support is real, and you deserve it.
If you need someone to talk to, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to connect with trained counselors who offer free and confidential support. You’re not alone.