Am sick, that's is what the society has rubbed in my face.
It has always told me that am sick.
Am not a loner, society pushed me to it.
Whoever knew about my HIV status,
Never would be the same to me.
Now that am a loner, questions ring in their heads...
"Why is she so quiet? "
"Why is she always alone? "
"Why does she talk to no one?"
Yes, am this and that,
Because you taught me to.
When I disclose about me, you'll gossip behind my back.
You'll run to everyone telling them how the should stay away from me because am sick.
Because am sick, society has let me be with no one, no friends
So I keep silent,
But it's not silence, it's secrecy.
It's not privacy, it's all secrecy.
Secrecy about my emotions and feelings.
My inner pains, anxiety, depressions, stress..
Society, You have taught me to mask my emotions in silence.
You gave me no one to turn to..
because in your eyes, am a mess.
What is society to you??
Society to me is...
Family, neighbor, wife, sister, friend...
Society to me is comfort.
And I will be exactly what I think society is
I will be a mother, to love you unconditionally
I will be a sister, to always talk to
I will be a family, to always run to
I will be a neighbor, to always find refuge
Making it clear, I am the society
Society that I dreamed to live in, is me
I will teach that to the world!! .
You teach that to the world too.
Thank you for your generous support for ICW's Young Women's Media Team
