Respect

By Mary Christine Costantino (‘20)

Respect 
something I ask myself if I will ever receive

treated differently because of who I am 
and the things I do

Respect 
I wonder, how come I never obtain it?

Is it because of my “crazy” personality? 
or because I am “slow” with learning?

Respect
in order to acquire

I’m going to have to give people what they want 
but how will I do that without changing who I am?

Respect 
is one thing I never really sense from others

the only time I witnessed it……….. 
was when my mom passed away

Respected
because of what I was going through

helping out as much as I could 
and being as independent as possible

Respected 
because I had to grow up faster

I had to do things others didn’t have too 
it was like I was beginning a brand new life

Respect 
I am looked at one way but not the other

oh how people can be so demeaning 
causing so much pain

Respect 
try looking at me with a different set of eyes

a set that reaches my soul 
so you can see all that I have been through

Respect
do you now realize?

do you now see why I am so frustrated?
when you look at me like I am less than you

Respect 
is something we all deserve

because everyone has a story 
and something they are currently battling

Respect 
because of how I’ve been treated…..

I hope to always respect others 
to make them feel nor smaller nor greater than me; but equal