pride – One Woman's Quest

Raising Awareness

I see a nation
uniting for a purpose
their pride as buckshot
forging new paths for justice
repairing gaps – room to breathe.

(Image my own)

Defining self – pride
fighting for recognition –
so many profiles.

(Written for RonovanWrites Haiku Challenge: pride & fight, and Reena’s Exploration challenge: featured image (art by Tolga Girgin)).

Obnoxious, I’ve been called
and overly exuberant, and
“no-one-will-ever-love-you”

usually by spurned lovers
or morose types too afraid
to speak for themselves,

dependent on, but loathing
my social ease – I wore it,
of course, the shame, that is

self-chastised, tried to tone
down, dim my hue, but
yellow is yellow, shines,

finds joy in darkness,
laughter in hard times,
even upside-down, radiates.

Turn away, if you must,
wear shades – I’m done
apologizing for standing out.