Who Am I To Speak

I speak for all the wounded,

each with their unspoken sorrows,

who have long sought out

places and hearts of comfort.

Who am I to speak for the wounded?
I am a wounded warrior,

whose scars are inconspicuous,

whose limp you cannot see.

I speak for the weary and the heart-broken,

for those who have all but forgotten

the feelings of joy and peace,

and for those who toil nightly

to simply fall asleep.

Who am I to speak for the weary?

For the heart-broken?

It's true I may be young,

but youth does not preclude grief;

I know well the strain of heart-ache.

I speak for the wanderers

who can feel aimless yet joyous,

who wish to see all corners of the world.

Who am I to speak for the wanderers?
My wounds have caused me

to search the world over
to reclaim my power

and my peace of mind.

I speak for those who carry the burdens of the world

as if they were their own.

I speak for those who carry self-doubt,

and for those who are afraid of being seen.

I speak for those who are still learning self-love,

and for any who still search

for their place within the world.

I speak for the wounded, heart-broken, wanderers

who carry the burdens of the world

along with all their own.

I speak for the aimless, joyous youth

who know not yet where they belong.

And no matter how my journey goes,

I shall never forget all the time I've spent

toiling and plowing through my woes.

I speak also for the children

who never knew their parents' love,

who grew up in broken homes--

and with broken hearts.

I speak for all the children

who believe they must become

someone or something else

in order to be loved.

I speak for all the children

who feel lost--

lost in the bewildering

darkness of the world.