Liberation: A Haircut

I never understood my own voice

too soft, speak up

too shrill, shut up

stand in line, follow the crowd

It's been done before, you'll blend in just fine,

Any questions? I can't hear you, moving on,

Always march to the beat of the crowd,

Keep your hair tucked behind your ears,

Listen for instructions and 

keep your head down,

Life is easy if you follow the rules, see?

and tie your hair up, it's distracting me.

Years of being told who I'm supposed to be,

Drained of my individuality,

I asked the lady with the shears,

Chop away these wasted years,

Mindless marching deemed necessary,

My right to an opinion, imaginary

Thank you, but I've just realized,

I don't really care what my voice sounds like,

No more white lies,

Keep the black hair ties,

I'm walking away now, feel free to watch

my hair as it flaps in the wind,

Free from the rules you bound me in,

I'll wear a new colour on my wrist everyday,

A reminder that eventually everything will be okay,

I was small, so you seemed tall,

but I look you in the eye and see young me now,

just as confused, just as lonely,

It's a pity you'll never know the new me.

                  --Ananya Murali