You wouldn’t know by looking at me
what with my quiet countenance
and my calm sincerity
that I follow no God
that I follow no creed
but my own
that I rely on my own
experiences and choices
to guide me
protect me
direct me
to do what is right
and I don’t need
anyone else to tell me
what I can or cannot do
I am my own person
I cannot believe
that there could be
such suffering in this world
if there were
some sort of god
some deity
watching over me
watching us all
I cannot believe
He would let
so many innocents die
without reason
I cannot believe
that He has a plan for all of us
that we all have fates
preordained by Him
predestined by Him
without a choice
for me
or for you
I cannot believe
that such a being could exist
that such a cruel and fickle being
could control my fate
I cannot believe that…
But you wouldn’t know that
not by just looking at me
you couldn’t know that
I bare my soul every day
to this apathetic world
to this cruel world
to this indifferent world
through my pen
and my ink
and my paper
the tools of my trade
my passion
my love
that I lay my heart
on a gilded platter
from which the world feasts
day in
and day out
until I get it back
mangled and ravaged
by the scavengers
by war
by hate
by fear
by suffering
and when my bleeding heart
returns to me
I am left hurt and broken
and sorrowful
but then that thin ray of light
shines
illuminating the darkness
casting back the shadows
bringing back hope
and a promise
that there is something better-
something better…
And you wouldn’t know by looking at me
that terror gripped me
possessed me
controlled me
as I watched my baby sister
that beautiful child
wracked with tremors
as her tiny body
seized,
that such fear
lay so close to my heart
but I had hope
and hope prevailed
and the little girl
has grown so much
into such a lovely child
with that flaxen hair
and those cornflower eyes
and I am so thankful
and so proud of her
because she pulled through
a tiny survivor
but I will never forget
that awesome terror…
You wouldn’t know
couldn’t know by looking at me
that I believe strongly
in the power
of the individual
to exact change
in the nation
in the world
that knowledge is
the key to that magnificent power
so keep on learning
because no one knows everything
and we are never
too full of knowledge
because there always is
always will be
more to learn
more to teach
more to create
more to share
it goes on and on
never ending
forever
in a continuous
and amazing
cycle of knowledge…
I will never stop
trying to be the best
I can be
never stop
writing
because it is my very soul
my very essence
my very being
my very power
it is that through which
I can affect the world
change the world
But you wouldn’t know me
not by looking at me
you wouldn’t really KNOW me
but if you listen really well
and understand my words
perhaps you’ll come to know me
for who I am
as I hope
that you will strive to do
because I think
that everyone’s worth knowing,
don’t you?