Autonomous

Don’t presume to instruct me in my own emotions:

You’ve never pumped an ounce of blood through this heart, lived one minute of my past, braved my night terrors.

Forget about shoes; you can’t walk my path in them, can’t make me wear them,

but you wanna pedagogue me, catechize me, tell me how,

forgetting

that I have my own thoughts, moods, interior rooms you’ll never enter.

My context isn’t free; you are not

entitled

I am not

obligated

Joy pain sorrow grief betrayal pride shame regret rage anger fear rejection exclusion denial doubt love hate compassion exuberance exasperation condemnation enlightened sexy timid stupid invisible empowered exhausted desperate overwhelmed

Pick a word. Feel it however you want, and mind your own damn business.