Anti-bullying Poetry

#PinkItForward

This anonymously written poem about bullying called “Shame” describes what it feels like to be an unwilling bully. 

Shame

There’s a girl at school

We teased today

Made jokes and called her names

My friends all laughed

Called it harmless fun

Said it was just a game

But now I’m home

Feeling terrible inside

Long gone that thoughtless grin

How will I face her

Tomorrow at school?

I wish I hadn’t joined in.

Some bullies are not really bullies deep down; instead, they feel an overwhelming need to be accepted by a group of their peers, usually due to low self-esteem or fear of being ostracized. Consequently, they will follow the group even though they know what they are doing is wrong and later feel even worse about themselves upon reflecting on their actions.

My Mom and Me

It used to be I’d hop out of bed,
So eager to start my day.
But times have changed. I ask my mom,
“Can I stay home from school today?”

I find a lot of grounds,
To justify my stance.
I plead, I beg, I frown,
I do a little dance.

“My ears, they ache. My tummy’s sore.
”I blow my nose and cough some more.
“What are these spots upon my chest?”
I wheeze. I sneeze. I do my best.

My Mom sits down beside my bed.
“You are not sick.” I turn bright red.
I know she hates it when I lie.
She’d understand if she knew why.

So should I tell her of my woes?
And will it change things if she knows?
I fear she’ll only make things worse.
If I don’t tell her, I think I’ll burst.

And so I tell her of the clique.
The girls who say that I’m a “geek”.
I tell of giggles,
The whispers,
The rumors.
I talk of their spite,
They cruel sense of humor.

And …

It feels so good to vent.
Although it’s so private.
I talk and talk.
My Mom’s very quiet.

She says to me gently,“
I’m terribly sorry.”
We hug and we cry.
We go over my story.

Together we look at the things we can do.
I’m no longer alone; we have a plan too.
I think I can face being teased and harassed.
With Mom on my side, my power is vast.
by Andrea Wilson