You can see it on their faces.
Their tired red eyes speak injustices.
Their tear-stained cheeks swollen
with the smacking slap of cruelty.
All they did was allow their hearts to love someone different,
All they did was become brave enough to be themselves.
Their croaking voices plead for mercy.
How many more bodies will be buried
before change will come?
How many more tears will be spilt
before the promises and prayers become something greater?
And even though they are backed into a corner,
even though they are beaten mercilessly,
their tongues speak of a future,
a bright one shimmering just within reach.
But light years away at the same time.
All they ask is for justice,
for equality,
for humanity.
All they really ask is for someone,
a brave someone, to make things right,
to make things what they always should have been.
screaming their weary, hoarse voices into the
bottomless void,
Who will be that someone?
Rainbow Flag
by Hailey Ngo, 11