Respect

I’m told to trust, to reach out my hand, To place my faith in a shifting sand. To bow my head to words that sing, A voice that swears to guide my wing. I’m asked for trust, yet doubt takes root, In whispered lies and truths that boot. They seek respect, a plea so bare, A mask they wear, but I see through the glare. At first, I strive to see the glow, To honor paths they claim to know. But in the stillness of the night, A spark begins to brew my fight. Each forced embrace, each empty nod, Turns into a weight that feels so flawed. How can I, with a heart so tight, Show reverence when darkness swallows light? Now I’m bound by chains unseen, A captive of their gentle sheen. That respect, which once was pure, Now withers, weakened, unsure. So here I stand, with a heart grown cold, Once open mind, now fierce and bold. For in the act of forced respect, I tasted neglect and learned to reflect.