Learning Experience

From my mother I learned to be selfish;
From my father I learned some degree of self-control,
but neither of them told me
that society had already sold me
and God and church had already condemned my soul
and sold it to the lowest bidder.

I learned to be silent
because to speak out meant danger.
I learned to keep a tight rein
on the mane of my anger
because to be angry meant danger.

Then I learned there was strength in numbers
and strength in voices;
strength within me
and strength in choices
and I began following every choice I could make
and harboring all the strength I could take
because I'd never learned that lesson before
and it was like a fine-tasting wine
on the tongue of my mind
and I flowed with it.

So I went and sought out that lowest bidder
and I bought back my soul
at quite a high price -
but a sweeter possession
I have never known.

Now I dig in my heels and clench my teeth
at all those lessons taught
in the name of ignorance.