Pariah

A Poem by SJ

Let's try our best not to judge a book by it's cover.

Hanging around the corners,
Hearing whispers of
‘Stranger,’ ‘Freak,’ ‘Weirdo,’
All around you,
Being the one that countless,
fingers point to,
With sniggers lining your way,
As you walk on by.
Where it’s always been you,
Against the world,
Or at least so it seems,
On most days.
The outcast, the rebel,
That loser, that poser,
The bully, the bullied,
The labels, they never stop.
Whatever happened to just being
human?
Whatever happened,
To that once sacred notion,
Of being unique and different,
Yet being the same under it all?
Whatever happened to diversity?
Whatever happened to being
stronger together?
Whatever happened to sticking up
for each other?
Whatever happened to strength,
Integrity and character?
Did we just let our morals,
Bleed out like mere casualties,
To an unknown and unseen war?
Whatever happened,
To never judging a book by it’s
cover?
How did we let it get so far?
How did we let it get out of hand?
Why is it easier to point fingers
at each other,
And not ourselves?
At this merry mess,
We’ve all been part of,
And hell, we even created?
Why is the outsider the outcast?
The newcomer,
Not given a chance,
Nor one you consider,
Worth a glance?
We talk about building a better
world,
A better future,
With resonating phrases,
And inspiring words.
But what’s your word worth,
To that outsider,
That you deemed and damned,
As one that never belonged?
The one you ever so graciously,
Tagged on the title of a non-conformer,
And dismissed,
Without even a second glance?
Remember all those times,
And all those countless faces,
Because sooner or later,
We all become our own outsiders,
We all become the very ones,
we condemn,
And tie down,
With our countless chains,
Aspiring and fighting to break free,
From these shackles of hate
and judgment,
Until our very last breath,
Until we finally spread our wings
and fly.