Burn

You.
Yes you.
You who confine me
In the chains of your mind.
You who cage
My spirit into
A box,
Whose bars
You believe are my freedom.
You.
Yes you.
Who haven't had to
Break walls,
Only to see them cave in again.
You.
Yes you.
Who will not shake
Under the mountain
Of judgement
When you make mistakes.
You.
Yes you. 
Who will not shake
Under the wind
Of loud whispers
Of your quiet rebellion
To assert your identity.
You.
Yes you.
Who will not shake
In seething anger
Because you let them shake you.

You.
Yes you.
You know nothing
Of reality,
Of this box,
This cage,
This hell,
That you have fantastically
Claimed to realise.
You.
Yes you
Are the wood
Of the fire
Lit to test my purity-
By those
Who have no claims to it.
You.
Yes you.
Will let me burn.
You.
Yes you.


You.
Yes you.
Who didn't hear
Sneers and jibes,
Open and discreet,
Like the red spit
Splattered on
Railway stations.
You.
Yes you.
Who haven't seen
How trains
Have crushed
The rubble beneath their
Well oiled wheels.

You.
Yes you.
You.
You who will
Never be questioned of
The validity of
Your sex,
Your sexuality,
Your purity,
Your legitimacy,
Your love,
Your beliefs,
Your humanness,
Your voice.

You.
Yes you.
You know nothing
Of consequence,
Of empathy,
This abyss,
This madness,
That you have fantastically
Claimed to realise.
You.
Yes you
Are the coal
Of the fire lit
To test my purity-
By those
Who have no claims to it.
You.
Yes you.
Will let me burn.
You.
Yes you.

So, look at me,
And watch me burn
At this pyre
For my crime
Of freedom.
Look at me,
And watch me burn.
Can you stand
The stench of my burning flesh?
Can you stand
The sight of my melting eyes?

Look at me,
And watch me dance,
As the ashes of
Your ignorance rise
And make your eyes water.
Look at me,
As the heat in my soul
Makes you
Nothing but a mirage.
Look at me
And watch me rise
From those ashes
Of the shallow
Promises of tomorrow.
Look at me
And hear me scream
Silently
With my eyes
At your betrayal.

You.
Yes you.
You won't forget me,
Because,
You,
Yes you,
You'll see me survive,
And,
You,
Yes you,
You'll find me free.

You,
Yes you.
You won't forget me,
Because,
You,
Yes you,
I will forgive you,
You?
Yes you.
For torching me.