Poetic Earth

I was judged for being born with privilege,
Then judged for losing it all.
Judged for the path I walked in youth,
And now for the weight of my fall.

I was judged for my crooked teeth,
For laughter loud, for growing slow.
Now they whisper of my body’s change,
As if pain should never show.

I was judged for the friends I kept,
For the choices I made back then.
Now they say I hide too much,
For choosing kindness once again.

I was judged for the jobs I held,
Too small, too safe, then none.
Now they doubt the risks I take,
As I build a life hard-won.

I was once judged, and still I am,
For every shift and stage.
But judgment never carved my path,
Nor will it cage my rage.

For I am more than whispered words,
More than doubt or scorn.
I rise beyond their fickle gaze,
Reclaimed, renewed, reborn.