Reflecting + Youth Poetry Spotlight: ‘speak Up, Speak Out!’
It has been almost a full year since the blog and podcast launched, and I am continually amazed by the work of all the young people we interview and who submit to the blog. I am so grateful to all the people who have made this possible from my co-hosts to the talented young activists who have participated in some way to you, the reader/listener who makes this all possible.
‘Speak Up, Speak Out’ by high school student Audrey is a piece near to my heart. This poem is featured on our first ever episode of #PassTheMicYouth, ‘Not Your Mother’s Activism‘ and takes me back to the beginning of this journey. You can hear her read it at the end of the episode, but you should really listen to the entire episode to get the full experience.
Speak up, Speak out!
by Audrey Apollon
We are reaching the ceiling,
They don’t understand this feeling,
We’ve been left unheard and constantly ignored
This time I choose to use my voice as my sword
My heart skips a beat
With feelings of defeat
It haunts us all
But I know we won’t fall
They make the rules
And then call us fools
We should all be a team
That is the dream
In the middle of the night
This is our time to fight
They don’t listen to our voices
They don’t let us make our choices
They tell us to stay away
But all we can do is hope and pray
Gather your words
It’s our time to be heard
Regardless of our age
The world can be our stage
These are our lives
Don’t think twice