The Revolution Is

Change for the world and America
And every single person too scared
To speak their mind for fear of losing their voice

The revolution is for people who go to sleep starving
Wondering when they'll have their next meal

The revolution is for all the "aliens" who are just
Trying to find a safer place to live
A place where they can walk outside
Without the fear of being shot

The revolution is for 18-year old boys
Whose families push them to enroll in the military
They say it'll make you a man

The revolution is for all teenagers who try to speak up
And try to find their own voice but they are
Silenced by the media, parents and politics

The revolution is for 11-13 year old girls who
Are followed, stalked and raped
But may never say so out loud

The revolution is for babies who lose their life
Before they even had a chance to fight for it

The revolution is for anyone who is in
An abusive relationship whether it be mental
Or physical - never lose hope, stand up for yourself
For you are not alone

The revolution is for all single parents who
Have to work day in and day out and never
Get to see their children and when they come home
There's not much there as they can barely afford
The one room apartment they are living in

The revolution is for gays and lesbians
And their rights which they fight for everyday
We're happily married, why can't they be

The revolution is for factory workers
Who work all day but might only get a few dollars
They work in filthy conditions to give us
Our designer clothes and they turn into
Nothing but a number for the company they work for

The revolution is for all people of color
Who might get glanced at warily
When they walk into a store

The revolution is for all girls and women
Who struggle everyday with thinking
They're not pretty enough
They can be the smartest people in their schools
But they think that doesn't matter

The revolution is for all boys and men
Who are thought to believe that being manly
Means treating a girl like nothing
That being manly is about violence and weapons
But they rise above it and for that they are teased

The revolution is for everyone
Everyone that believes in things such as hope
Freedom and an open mind

For everyone that is struggling just know
Things will get better because the revolution is coming
And we're all a part of it

The revolution is for everyone
Anyone can join whether you are fat, skinny,
Short, tall, bald or have a full head of hair,
Gay, lesbian, straight, Mexican, black or white

The revolution is about equality
The revolution is about change

© Leanne Rodriguez, 2011