When you grow older, you'll understand

How they murder the strongest men

And boys.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How they kill the kindest women

And girls.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How they murder the best in you

And leave only the worst part behind.

Expecting you to survive,

To thrive.

Because they know

You'll stay alive—whether you want to or not.

Even as the ugly flaws rip you apart

Inside out

And heal you whole, all over again.

When you grow older, you'll understand.

How they murder you in the endless wars,

And the pointless battles.

In the desolated oil rigs

And the dark tunnelling mines.

When you grow older, you'll understand.

How they murder you in the long drive on the monotonous roads,

And the lonely nights at the greasy fast-food diners.

In the broken families that were never meant to be,

And the shattered faith you used to hold dear.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How they murder you in the psych-ops warfares,

And the cruel social media algorithms.

In the tracking devices in your pocket,

and the ideologies you nurture.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How they murder you in the pretty revolutionary tales they spin,

And the cold-blooded justice they offer.

In the dangerous discontent they sow,

And the gripping safety they bestow.

When you grow older, you'll understand

how they'll murder hundreds,

Thousands,

Millions.

Years after years,

Decades after decades,

Centuries after centuries.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How you'll never catch them with

Warm, red blood

Staining

Their pristine, manicured

Hands.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How no one will see

the blood flowing

Out of their beady eyes

And moving lips.

how no one will smell

the dry blood crusted under their golden jewels,

And diamond clothes.

When you grow older, you'll understand

How no one will hear

the cries of the dead embedded underneath their lying words,

And clacking false teeth.

how no one will feel the apathy in their radiant simpers,

And the disdain in their waves of hands.

When you grow older, you'll understand

how they know

You'll forget—whether you want to or not.

Even as they rip you off,

And hang you dry,

over

And

Over

And

Over

Again.

When you grow older, you'll understand

That you won't remember

How they murder

The strongest

And kindest in you.

When you grow older, you'll understand.