Examine.

Gave too much away.
Tripped on my good intentions.
Didn’t fall so much as jumped.
Facing my bad decisions one by one, and finding
If you were me, you might have made them too.

Maybe I’m making excuses for being tired
For laziness or sensitivity
But I hurt for her.
I hurt for all of them.
For all the times I could have stood up and said something
But was silent.
I have power, I am powerful
And I was quiet.
I am sure she made herself clear
I am sure she said no in every way she knew how
And I am sure you didn’t listen,
Because you never really do.

Examine yourself, then.
Examine the why and whom and where and now
And then storm the last of that temple, anyway.
We tear each other apart in the name of some faceless god
In the name of someone else’s idea of better.

I was quiet.
I could have kept watch or stood witness in that holy place
I could have spread my careful wings around her
I have power.
But am I powerful.
Examine that, I suppose.