No Place For Hate Poetry

A New World

by Madison Tate, 2023

Imagine a world where we judge people based on the pureness of their souls,

Not because of their skin,

Not because of their sexuality,

Not because of their beliefs.

We are all human and must look beyond these things.

Just think of how you would feel.

The horrible, never-ending pit in your stomach

For being judged for something you can’t change.

We are so quick to judge based on common stereotypes.

These stereotypes have lived among us,

Roaming the earth since society let them.

Take them away!

Each of us have the power to make the change

To become greater than the hatred,

To become equal,

To become one.

Know that passed what we see on the outside, 

There is an actual person with actual feelings.

These people fight for the right

To be seen,

To be heard,

To be free of all discriminations.

Imagine a world where we stood up and fought for a new future,

Eliminating the negative views of others.

Make that world a reality. 

Instead I Say Thank You

by Lexi-Olive Lambert, 2022

'Oh you’re autistic? Well, I still think you’re smart!'

I want to ask what that means

I want to ask what they assumed instead

I want to ask why their opinion of me could change with one word

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

'At least you don’t look autistic!’

I want to ask what they think autistic people look like

I want to ask why my appearance matters

I should ask why they think that’s a compliment

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

'Thank God you aren’t weird’

I should ask what they consider weird

I should ask why they think that is okay to say

I should tell them I am weird, but that doesn’t change who I am

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

'At least you aren’t really autistic'

I should tell them I am, in fact, ‘really autistic’

I should ask why they believe their criteria trumps the DSM-5’s

I need to tell them autism is a spectrum, not a box

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

'You get really good grades for an autistic person’

I need to say not every autistic person needs help

I need to ask why they believe I cannot be intelligent

I need to tell them that is rude

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

You can’t be autistic; you’re smart!’

I need to say that is exactly why I tell people

I need to say there is more to autism than a learning disorder

Maybe next time I will say something

Instead I say, ‘Thank you’

You shouldn’t move your hands like that, people will think you’re autistic’

Maybe next time I will tell them it’s called stimming

Maybe next time I will tell them it’s calming and how I relax

Maybe next time I will simply ask why they think autism is a bad thing

Instead I say, ‘Shut up’

They Think They Know Us

by Sarah Elgarni, 2023

They don’t know what it feels like to be put down.

They think they are making us feel better,

but they are only making us feel worse.

They think they are funny,

But they aren’t.

There is nothing funny about being called a terrorist.

There is nothing funny about having your religion and culture degraded.

They think we don’t see their rude and scared expressions.

Are we really that big of a threat?

These stereotypes are hurting us.

Not only Arabs and Muslims, but people everywhere with different skin colors, ethnicities, and religions.

They don’t know the struggles that our people go through in our mother countries.

They don’t know the number of losses that occur daily.

They tell us to go back to our countries, but where will we go if it’s all ruined?

A lot of us originally were born here, but they don’t know that.

They will always assume without knowing. 

Their backhanded compliments are degrading and cruel.

Their words are like a stab to our souls and character.

They will never know what it’s like to be us.

They think they know us, but they never will.

Judging a Book By Its Cover 

by Haley Brown, 2023

An unconscious expression of our biases.

Judging a book by its cover

Instead of judging it by its contents.

Pointing out the unnecessary.

Instead of pointing out the outstanding.

A subtle comment of hostility.

Instead of an uplifting comment of love.

A thoughtless joke made to make them laugh.

Instead, it makes her heart sink.

Blowing out others' candles,

Doesn't make yours shine brighter.

Bias Minds with Broken Thoughts

by Elliot Collins, 2024

“You don’t look gay.”

I don’t look gay?

I'm sorry, does gay have a specific look to it?

Do I have to have bright cherry pink hair,

Plaster my face with too much makeup, 

Wear bright neon clothing,

To be gay?

Do I have to look like something I’m not 

just to be gay?

No,

I don’t,

I don’t have to abide by your so-called “rules” to be myself,

I don’t have to look a certain way in order to love myself,

I block out your hateful words,

These words still haunt me,

Saying, “You don’t know what you want.” 

“You're too young!”

You’re right, I AM too young,

Too young for people to look at me and degrade me for who I am,

Too young to cry,

For the broken souls, and the tattered minds,

Of those who only want to be accepted,

I am too young!,

Too young to fear for my LIFE,

All because I don't love the opposite gender,

All I want,

All I ask for is acceptance,

We are all human,

We all have feelings,

We all have fragile hearts,

So why must you purposely try to tear mine apart?

Why must you look at me and only see a mistake?

Instead of hating me,

Instead of only seeing the world in black and white,

Try to put yourself in my shoes,

To see what I see,

To see what so many others see when the world tries to turn against them,

To see how the world shoots us down,

But we rise up from the ashes,

Stronger than ever before,

Instead of hating us,

Accept us,

You may not like who we are,

You may disagree,

But instead of spreading the black ink of hatred to those around you,

Spread kindness,

Spread love,

Spread happiness,

And teach the young souls of the pure,

So that they too,

Could destroy the ink,

To change the world for the better.

I Am Not Just One.

by Amaya Stetler, 2023

In my younger years, I came 

across many people in my life.

All from different places.

However, when I was around 8 

or maybe 9.

I met a woman who must’ve been

more bored than a barn owl 

in the daytime.

You’re quite beautiful dear! Tell me 

are you black or white?

The sun was no longer shining. 

My surroundings black as a fresh 

chalkboard. 

Standing before me was this 

colossal being that was not man nor creature. 

An illuminated ultimatum that

towered over even the tallest 

trees. 

With a most terrifying voice, it   

said to me, 

Now choose! The pigment of your 

being cannot contain more than one

Filled with the teachings bestowed to me by wise guardians, I replied:

I am not just one. I am both.

See, the color of my skin is 

not to be confined into one single 

color.

The world consists 

of the brightest colors and hues.

Purples, blues, reds, and greens.

So why does that not apply to 

me?

You see, what you say might not 

be meant to be rude.

I’ll give you the benefit of the 

doubt.

But asking me a question of all

questions.

A choice of all choices.

You are instilling in me that 

having parents of different 

descent isn’t normal.

When an artist mixes his 

pigments, it is to create 

something new.

A color that is a reflection of all

his original hues. 

My parents, the starting colors.

Me, the reflection of them both.

Body Defines You

by Makaylee Gossard, 2023

Women: 

looked at differently just because of the body

“Wow you’re so pretty with a body like that”

That is what makes women tremble in their shoes

That is what makes their throats clench

Your body equals your existence

Your body over personality 

Your body equals who will talk to you

Your body is the judgment you get

“You’re not thick”

“Oh you don’t have big boobs”

“You don’t have the good body type”

What is the good body type?

No matter what, you’re too skinny or too fat

No matter what, you're too hefty or too flat 

Body is seen over beauty

Body is heard over personality

Body defines 

We are locked up in cages

Not heard

Not treated right

Not noticed

Locked up, with a world in front of us

So much potential

So much fate

Just judged

Just labeled: “fat girl,” “anorexic girl,” “flat girl”

All because of a body we were born to have