Hazelthorn

by C.G. Drews

People who belong to marginalized groups are often condemned for anger, for letting emotions spill, for messiness and mistakes, but we deserve to feel pain loudly and to feel injustices bloodily.

Words have always sat like dead moths and dried flowers in his mouth, unheard because no one is ever interested in what he has to say.

He is a tender green shoot reaching for the light after years locked in darkness and it isn’t enough. Hunger crowns him like a punishment.