Autarchy

Run. Duck. Hide.

Wait… I come in peace. I am a mother, a daughter, a friend.

Oh, I see my attire is ‘misleading.’

Shed my clothes, go ahead, strip me.

Can you trust me now?

I am bare

I am uncovered

I am exposed

Can you trust me now?

Hush. Quiet. Enough.

Wait… I speak the truth. I am honest, humble, caring.

Oh, I see the color of my skin is daunting.

Remove my skin, go ahead, peel it away.

Can you trust me now?

I am bleeding

I am damaged

I am exposed

Can you trust me now?

Stop. Halt. Cease.

Wait… let me speak. I am good, active, humane.

Oh, I see my speech does not sound like yours.

Extract my tongue, go ahead, pull it out.

Can you trust me now?

I am quieted

I am mute

I am exposed

Can you trust me now?

Leave. Go. Get out.

Wait… you did not give me a chance. I am righteous, true…I am worthy.

Oh, I see my existence is the problem.

Pierce my heart, go ahead, slay me.

Can you trust me now?

I am still

I am erased

I am no more

Can you trust me now?

Verb. Verb. Verb.

Wait… Blah Blah Blah Blah.

Oh, it does not matter. I do not matter. We should not matter. Who are ‘we’ exactly?

You cannot trust, you cannot see, you choose this, not me.

Why am I blamed?

Why am I targeted?

Why am I deceased?

I was human. I was free. I was me.

You chose your ignorance, remember? Not me.

Let me go now, let me rest in peace, let me be free.

I was a mother, a daughter, a friend.

I was me.