Anvita Prabhala

It is a tragedy of today’s world
That one’s worth is decided at first glance
And shhh, my dear, you say it’s not like that
But you and I both know better in our hearts
 
Watch and you’ll learn that this is how it goes:
 
The scorpion is screamed at for living
While the spider’s weavings are torn apart
We choose butterflies, not caterpillars
Ignoring where those beauties find their start
 
Mice are ensnared in traps and left to starve
And snakes and lizards are chased from burrows
As insects become reduced to targets
In the name of policies too thorough
 
But here are some secrets between us both
Some things little thought of and so few know:
 
Though it difficult to fight for light
Come morning the scorpion will sting
And the spider will weave its clever webs
Ensconced within corners and garden beds
 
And the mice will skitter and the snakes slither
In desert sands and in their forest homes
And beetles and ants and wasps live their lives
Insignificant to intrusive eyes
 
And tomorrow we, too, will wake once more
Hello. It’s good to see you here with me
And I know, my dear, the living is hard
But please, please try to make a better start
 
The world is cruel; not one of us is free
We grow up told what to think and to be
But here is a thought, both strange and absurd
Your future is yours; let your voice be heard
 
Here are some harsh truths I need to impart:
I’m sorry, but most don’t see to the heart
Instead they try only see to the skin
Not what is unusual or within
 
Now, I implore you, please listen to me:
Go be vicious and cunning, sharp and free
Be clever and quick and kind in measure
And build a life you can hold as treasure