In shadows where silence has dominion\'s seat,
Beneath the gaze of towers, cold and bleak,
Lies a truth, unspoken, yet fiercely neat—
No one gifts the knowledge that you seek.
For wisdom is a fortress, tall and grand,
Guarded by the very hands that bind;
The keys to freedom, you must command,
Within the boundless fortresses of your mind.
They\'ll offer crumbs, a semblance of the feast,
But never the banquet that would make you free.
For liberation\'s path, from west to east,
Is paved with self-taught truths that let you see.
So arm yourself with books, with words, with thought,
Forge in the fires of will, the lessons sought.
For no oppressor has ever willingly taught,
The means by which their downfall would be wrought.
Rise, then, from the ashes of controlled lore,
With knowledge as your shield, your heart, your core.
For in the quest to open every locked door,
You\'ll find the education to overthrow and soar.
© Susie Stiles-Wolf