"Sticks and stones
May break my bones
But words can never
Hurt me."
Spoken so long ago,
My heart lurches

At the rhyme.
Who said this?
They lied.
Words hurt worst
Of all.
I might not
Physically hurt
But the words
Spoken by
By you
They stab deep
Deep
Deeper still
Far into my core.
Just because
I'm a little bit
Different
Doesn't mean I'm
Bad
Or Evil
I'm not a devil-child.
I won't go to
Hell.
I can love who
I love,
Choose who to
Worship,
Wear what I
Wear,
And you
Can't
Stop

Me.
Your whispered
Words
And
Devious gestures
Belong to you,
Hidden in
Sweet
Silence,
So no on
Can be
Hurt.
Because maybe
I CAN
Stop you.
Because maybe
Hell would be
Better.
Because being with
YOU
Is the
Worst
Possible

Thing.
So I say
Rainbow Flag,
Rainbow Religion
And Rainbow Socks.