Sticks ‘n stones may break my bones
But your words will always haunt me.
When you are near, I tremble in fear!
I sit in my room, crying in gloom
This was me, three years ago
Three years later, the scars still show.
Bullying a topic that has been brought up a million times, and with it a topic that has been ignored a million time.When we think of bullying we think of physically harming another, we fail to realize that words, yes, tiny little words aren’t so tiny after all.It’s time to obliterate this absurd notion that words, are just words, nothing more. this piece brings the credibility of “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”, into question. Today I will be reading Bystander By Katie Niekirk, Angel Green: With Emily’s Pain,Words hurt by Kaylynn My Walk to School by Andrea Wilson,, Sticks n’ stones by Joanna Rose Remnant ,Dear Bully by Caitlin,Being  Bullied by Jan Allison, And Sticks and Stones written by me. I selected these pieces to acknowledge the voices of the victims that are commonly ignored, because words are more,than just words. I present to you Sticks n stones A farrago without interruption,

Dear bully
I wish you could understand but you don’t
Bully, stop, take a walk with me
And you can wear my shoes.
“Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I never truly understood this saying, to me it just doesn’t make sense, because words can hurt,
Sticks and stones may break my bones…
Sissy
Prissy
Four-eyes
Geek
Fatso
Stupid
Nerdy
Freak
…but names can really hurt.
they can hurt a lot. Whether it’s a loved one saying them, an acquaintance, or a stranger on the street.

Dear Bully,
Who are you
I don’t even know you
But I let you get to me anyway
You don’t even know me but you have a say in my life
Isn’t that sad

But we do control what and who we let get to us and for the most part I do believe that but the way they say it so nonchalantly frustrates me

Because if you were me, you would see
How much your bullying can bruise.
Bullying is abusing and it’s not amusing
When you’re the victim, they are choosing.

They act like it isn’t difficult to shake off those harsh words.
Fat, ugly, worthless. These are the words they hear.
Did you know that you are their biggest fear?
Day by day you torment them,

Stick ‘n’ stones may break my bones but words broke my soul.They put on a fake smile and pretended they were okay,They’re sick of playing strong, sick of playing tough.

you make them want their lives to end.
Everyday they wake up with regret,
All they want to do is forget.
It’s not just hitting and punching, it’s the words you say,
They hurt so much, they want to fade away.

These words they never forget and the pain lingers
It takes so long for their hearts to mend.You may not have known, but they always knew.
I think instead of saying words will never hurt me they should say, words will never hurt me as much as I hurt myself;
Dear Bully
Why do you pick on yourself
You heard me, I bullied myself, we all do.

the reason I say this is because it’s your brain that repeats the words over and over again, your heart that soaks in the pain, and your body that you harm; once you’ve convinced yourself it’s true.

Why did I deserve this pain?…Have you ever thought about what you said to me? huh… maybe not! because you killed me every day…. You told me so much that I started believing it. And I was stupid for doing that. Every morning, day, night I look in the mirror and cry, and replay the harmful words in my head.
P.S. it’s bullying that killed me. Please get justice.
Why must people use hurtful words that might as well be daggers, these hate-filled words, but then again who am I to judge? I am just as bad as the rest;  maybe, even worse at times. Everyone has had a case of the razor tongue cutting down others and slicing through their happiness. Everyone is guilty of this vicious act.

Sometimes we say things we don’t mean
Those poisoned words can’t be taken back
Private thoughts to be kept inside that should never be seen
Using nasty words to attack
Not knowing the harm they can do
But sometimes we just sit and watch and maybe that’s just as bad.
I saw her in the morning
They threw her books in the dirt
But it’s none of my business.
I saw her in the afternoon
Crying alone in the toilets
But it’s none of my business.
I saw her walking home
They followed her, throwing insults
But it’s none of my business.
Watching as it happens as if it makes no difference, whether you speak up or not.
I saw her every day
They did too, kept on and on and on
But it’s none of my business.

Maybe you realize that you should stand up, but maybe you waited too long.               
   I didn’t see her today
She gave up, couldn’t deal with it
She’s gone
She’s left school
She’s happy now
It was my business.
Forced to remember from now and forever that  you didn’t say anything you never say anything
This is when enough is enough,

So how do we stop this cruel habit, how do we learn to love with our words instead of spewing hatred. How do we smile even in the direction of our greatest tormentors. How can we be the better person when they continue t0 rub salt in our unhealed wounds and smile and laugh whilst they do so. How can I be the bigger person when others make me feel so small.
When you call me nasty names
I believe that they are true
I beg you bully stop playing your games
What have I ever done to you?
Bully, please, I don’t understand
Why you hurt me on purpose.
You make me feel like a grain of sand!
Tiny, alone and worthless.

How can I not though, if I know how it feels to be the target for their verbal game of darts. If you aren’t part of the solution you’re a part of the problem. Maybe if you change it’ll help someone in need, maybe all it takes is one person. It worked for me so maybe it’ll work for another in need.
Someone leaves the crowd and lends them a hand,
They learn that it’s time to stand.
Their smile is no longer fake,
Now they have no reason to ache.
You see, all they ever needed was a friend,
Someone to stand by them when the bullying came again.
Now they are free,
The insults barely sting, don’t you see?
Bullying gave you power, that they refused to give,
You can’t help but wonder ”what if”.
What if they didn’t get so strong?
What if they were crumbled all along?
What if they wrote down all the secrets they had to spill,
Right before taking an overdose of the pills?
You don’t know what could have been done,
You were doing it all for fun.
You think they’re losers, but they’re stronger than you,
Have you seen what they’ve been through?
With your words you gave a black eye,
They are leaving, bully, so say your goodbye.
But one more thing before you go,
Did you enjoy my little show?
Of course your words still offend, But they have been pieced back together again.
Remember, words can hurt more than the punch,
Believe me now? Cause this was just a hunch.
So think before you say another word
Because Sticks n Stones may break my bones
But your words could surely kill me.