Hope's Monologue

"The first lie they told you was that I was fragile"

The first lie they told you was that I was fragile

Dainty, whimsical, fine

Cowering away from the open skies

As your forests burned and your oceans fried

As your heroes quit and your children cried

As your towers fell and your parents died

Forsaking the soldier who didn’t hold his line,

Rejecting the artist struggling against all the signs,

Abandoning the child falling from the highest vine

Clouding your vision with empty promises supplied

The second lie they told you was for a child's eyes

“Grow up, be realistic” they’d huff and they’d sigh

Berating you every minute of your waking life

As they stabbed into your dreams and twisted the knife

Leaving you hesitating every second, thinking twice

Biting at any hand willing to throw the dice

Nice and proper now, out of mind out of sight

It's time to grow up, tell that child goodnight

I can’t remember what the third lie was

Something about Fear, something about Anger, something about Care.

It convinced your heart that you had no room to share

That it was noble to be faithless and smart to despair

Get the rope, sharpen the knives, lay back in that electric chair

The tortoise would have done better surrendering to the hare

The fourth lie was the worst. The one they’d whisper so you barely hear

The one that I’m dead. The one that I’m gone. Shadows so severe.

But the shadows fade take a step back, see it clear

Come closer my child sit down dry your tears

For I’m with the soldier who levels his spear

With the artist who paints gold over her fear

With the child as he climbs and he runs and he cheers

With your dreams, stepping onward and onward towards the frontier

I’m in your beautiful cities and your open skies

In your hearts as your forests burn and your oceans fry

In your prayers as your heroes stand and your children cry

In your hands as your towers fall and your parents die

Remember my name

Remember the lies