“People just get so easily offended these days”

There are the perpetrators,

there are the bystanders

and there are those

who are truly affected

by the violence.

People are not

“more offended”

these days.

Aggressive words, actions

performed in the past

were just as hurtful

to those who experienced it in the past

as those who experience it in the present.

The difference

is in the bystanders,

and whether

they amplify the words of those

who have been hurt,

to protect them,

to advocate for change.

***

Author's note: this one is a piece of food for thought for a concept that's often thrown around in defense of certain things said, certain harm done. This is my take. What is yours?

***

Lucy (@ramyeonjpg) is a budding poet who jots down all the wildest pieces of her life into poetry form. By day, she's a graduate student. By night, she crochets an unreasonable number of scrunchies to de-stress. As someone who never runs out of ideas, she aids other writers who run into writer's block with weekly poetry (or writing!) prompts. Feel free to join in here!