There are no statistics
to keep track of how many dreams
are murdered daily

there are no reparations paid
to the children whose dreams are
stolen and replaced by hopelessness

there are no apologies given
for taking their beautiful smiles
and turning them into distrustful frowns

there are no peace offerings made
for the tragedy we’ve created
by not believing in them

there is no cocoa butter rubbed
over the scars left by the mental rape
that was forced on the bright futures of tomorrow

there are no words
to inspire them
to keep trying

no hands reaching out
to lift their dreams
off the bloody floor of despair

no welfare
to help get their dreams
back on their feet

no “Love-Support”
to provide nourishment
to their hope

no ears
to listen to their ambition,
without judgment
without unwarranted advice
without pouring a bucket of water
on that fire that burns from the deepest
crevices of their soul

there is no empathy
to feel their pain,
or encouragement
to help get them through the storm
that always precedes success

there is nothing,
all we offer are cages
to place their dreams in

a wheel
for them to run on
until they collapse
from the frustration
of not getting anywhere

discouraging stories
of the people who tried
and failed like they will,
if they foolishly ignore
the flawed logic we use
to convince them that their dreams are
unreasonable

unachievable

unreachable

…and when WE speak, oh –
we, being their family,
their friends,
the ones they share their innermost fears
and most sacred desires with

when we speak,
we crush their spirit
under the guise of love,

love,
…because we love them
we fear seeing them
experience the hurt
of failing to achieve their dreams

fear,
…because we fear
we steer them
down the safe path to nowhere
and advise them to be more like us

try,
…because we never tried
we believe it’s better
to safely avoid failure
than to boldly pursue possibility

listen,
…because we listened
to the Dream Killers who came before us
we perpetuate the cycle of
Killing Dreams

there, are no statistics
to keep track of how many dreams
are murdered daily

there, is no barometer
to measure how bad it hurts
to have your dreams killed in the name of love

…but believe me,
death is far less painful
than life without a dream