A world welled up
from the depths of my despair
and has refused to abate
in decades that have followed
and I find myself trapped
in a castle of broken dreams

I had hoped that choosing
change rather than death
would open the world
to new possibilities
new ways to benefit
our common humanity

But if you reject the humanity
present within our minds and bodies
and cannot respect our choices
and offer to protect the fragility
of our very existence
then what is to become of us

Allowing other people to burn us
while you stand silent
does not leave you
with clean hands
--Robyn Elaine Serven
--May 7, 2010