I hear different voices, shouting, painful
I try to understand, try to connect, so I can know
why they want to cause me pain.
Opening up, understanding,
but they don't return the favor.
Standing up, fighting back,
they respond with accusations.

"Why do you want to silence us?
Don't our voices matter too?
Do you think you have the right
not to be hurt?
Is the only thing you want to hear
an echo of your own voice?"

They don't understand
I try to be patient
Seeing me through their eyes
To better understand their cruelty.
It's a trick.
While I'm struggling,
they're not trying at all.
And seen through their eyes
I am less beautiful
less kind
less human
My empathy turned against me
trying to present myself
to people who will never see me as human,
people whose self worth is not at stake,
but who will mock me for withdrawing
or feeling harmed.
An echo?
If affirming my basic humanity is too hard
if it's an interesting argument you'd like to pick a fight over
if you want to study me like a bug in a microscope
while I struggle for my life
then yes,
I will find people to echo back,
"you are okay"
"you are welcome"
"you are a person"
and your voice
hurting me like it's some kind of game
isn't welcome.