Unvoiced Opinions: Fear and Judgment's Reign

In a world wrapped in righteousness and rage,

I find myself confined, a silent sage,

Opinions held within, they quiver, wait,

Afraid to bloom, to grow, to resonate.

A fear now lives where once was open thought,

My tongue tied in a knot, emotions fraught,

I long to speak but dread the crushing weight,

Of judgments swift, and labels that berate.

The words I knew, the thoughts I used to share,

Now hide in shadows, caged in cold despair,

A change has come, what once was free, now chained,

In caution's grip, expression's wings restrained.

For those who claim to know what's right and just,

Cast stones with ease, mistrust in others thrust,

But I must ask, who deems what's wrong or right?

Whose voice is lost in this unending fight?

In silence, I reflect, and hope one day,

My thoughts can fly, my voice will find its way,

To share, to speak, to be what it should be,

A melody of mind, of heart, set free.

© Susie Stiles-Wolf