won’t let hatred break me

Poetry by  linda m. crate   Art by  michael blackburn

won’t let hatred break me
they say
we have to give him a chance
or to stop crying that
we’ve “lost”,
but i think it’s important to know
we’re all in this sinking
boat together;
and the only way to help one another is
to be the light instead of the
darkness—
our differences need not be divisions
for diversity is a beautiful thing
we all have different gifts
and talents, and we should be appreciated
for everything we can do;
not all the things
we cannot—
i refuse to allow someone’s religion,
race, sexuality, or anything else
make me hate them;
i am not a monster, i am the girl who loves
and cares too much;
i am full of love and light
won’t let hatred
break me.
– linda m. crate

merciful
people should not be
condemned
for choosing love
even if they
love in a way you cannot understand
once i fell in love with a girl,
but i refuse to believe
that my heart
was wrong for loving;
love is love
no matter what
and whose business is it really except
for the parties involved?
i fell in love with
a girl once
even though i’ve loved mostly men,
and you can’t tell me that i am wrong or evil for
i don’t believe in hatred and i despise
any anger that i exhibit because i do not wish to wound or hurt;
my heart is one of love and hope and forgiveness
i give mercy
because i know what it’s like to be given none.
– linda m. crate

i will be me
i refuse to cut
out the pieces of myself
that make you feel
uncomfortable or vulnerable
i am who i am
there’s no one and nothing that can change that
it’s both my power and my gift,
and one i will always wear
proudly;
i am the only person i can be
after all,
and wishing i could be someone else would be a
waste of who i am;
we all have a purpose in this life
even if it is sometimes
unclear—
i am the dreamer and i will always work hard to achieve
everything that is meant to be mine,
and even if i trip and stumble and fall
i will never stop;
because only losers ever stop—
i won’t be a failure
because i will always rise like air,
and go after everything i deserve because i know
life is better than this and i want to glimpse
upon every beauty i can before
death comes.
– linda m. crate