No. 1 - 1

  Feminism, Civil Rights, Pride, Labour; the names are many. Regardless:

  It has always been a matter of-

  -CONDEMNATION: bullies, rapists, murderers, sociopathic leeches.

  -pushing past apathy.

  -choosing between love and hate.

  -embracing compassion.

  -forgiving for one’s own sake.

  -defying the emptiness of our condition.

  -CONDONATION:

  ~

  No. 1 - 2

  The princess is not waiting to be rescued;

  She is halfway down the tower

  laden with provisions, a gleam in both eyes

  singing of daring and dangerous doing.

  She is her own knight, armour unbreaking,

  and her name is Mother, Daughter, Sister, Niece.

  ~

  No. 1 - 3

  I am the wound, bitterness given a tongue and ten fingers.

  Each bone made for breaking - I am bloodless regret.

  Sour breath like scorching sunshine, I have never known the gentle touch - bruises litter my tapestry.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  I am-

  -the boy three streets down.

  -the sister upstairs.

  -the father in his dreams, the mother’s living nightmare.

  ~

  No. 1 - 4

  The broken breath, half a sob - regret coiled, skin fevered. Swallow

  it

  down - or don’t

  think on it:

  Shame.

  A most beautiful gift-

  -to rise above.

  -to rally against.

  -to learn from.

  ~

  No. 1 - 5

  These illusions we have built; castles in the sky where riches gild our every motion - they are just that:

  Falsities. Lies that comfort and heal; binding chains by which we are made slaves of another’s will.

  Collectively, obsessively, let us melt them down and build for ourselves a tower;

  an edifice of resplendent brick mortared by truth and conviction, etched by the implacable-

  -love

  (and)

  -derision

  that sits within each of our breasts; a furnace for smelting.

  We are more smith than soldier.

  ~

  No. 1 - 6

  Tyrants rise before my eyes, blinded by their own insignificance.

  They are small

  terribly toothsome

  evils

  and I

  (with all my humanity)

  must profess, not a tear will be shed for their endings.

  ~

  No. 1 - 7

  Imagine yourself a stranger-

  -speaking clearly, each word an invective

  -scowling, frowning, spitting

  -professing deep dislike

  -laughing in the face of grief

  -rejecting kindness

  -destroying love

  If you cannot - smile.

  ~

  No. 1 - 8

  The truest of heroes is the furthest thing from a bully-

  -they are as the stars.

  Inspiring, guiding, gentle, persistent light.

  ~

  No. 1 - 9

  I’m afraid the diagnosis is

  greedy, hateful ignorance.

  “Fuck.”

  ~

  No. 1 - 10

  We

  Must

  Triumph

  Beautifully

  Without Explanation:

  No. 1- 10

  No. 1 - 6