You Must Fit In

When others say the strangest things,
"You must fit in!"
Perplexing thoughts with many strings,
"You must fit in!"
All crowd my heart with loathsome stings,
"You must fit in!"

What do I now?

They often want to freely say,
"You must fit in!"
Their thoughts of Speech must rule the day.
"You must fit in!
But words from me in disarray,
"You must fit in!"
Cause angsty feelings when obey,
"You must fit in!"

What can I say?

When someone says, "No Absolutes!"
"You must fit in!"
I find the need for new recruits,
"You must fit in!"
To 'fend me from such verbal brutes,
"You must fit it!"
Who know of naught their Absolutes.
"You must fit in!"

How can I speak?

"I do believe in Jesus Christ."
"You can't! You must fit in!"
"Who said? My freedom comes at price!"
"But still you must fit in!"
"Why needs my speech be just your nice?"
"Be still! You must fit in!"

"O, WOW! Really?"

"But what about my Freedom's Speech?"
"You've none. You must fit in!"
"Is this what you our children teach?"
"Quite right! You must fit in!"
"But what about Peer Pressure's breach?"
"How so? You must fit in!"

"Say, 'No!' to drugs. You tell each school-aged child."
"That's right! They must fit in!"
"Say, 'No!' to sex. It's problems are not mild."
"That's right! They must fit in!"
"Just stay in school and have your papers filed."
"Indeed! They must fit in!"

"But Jesus loved each little child."
"That's nice. He must fit in!"
"We enter Home as childlike mild..."
"You must fit in!"
"So precious and so undefiled."
"O, really? You must fit in!"

"Without an Absolute, why urge each child be strong?"
"You must fit in!"
"Without an Absolute, how make we lasting song?"
"You must fit in!"
"Without an Absolute, how know we Right from Wrong?"
"You must fit in! You must fit in!"

"You have an Absolute against an Absolute!"
"So insolent! You must fit in!"
"Your mind seems closed to me. You are so resolute!"
"You think too much! You must fit in!"
"Your words betray and beg the thought of ill repute."
"Hold your peace! You must fit it!"

Apparently, we must accept all points of view...
"That's right! You must fit in!"
Excluding all excluders as not really true.
"That's right! You must fit in!"
Acceptance has exclusion, when that's what we do.
"You're wrong! You must fit in!"

The child that's small and soft of voice
has fewer options and no choice.
Beliefs are made by bigger folk,
unless they want a stomach poke.

Adults oft face the same disgrace,
when working in an unsafe place.
Beliefs can cause a loss of job
by bullies, who their honor rob.

"Demand agreement by your word..."
"You must fit in!"
"...removes all peace as Hope is blurred..."
"You must fit it!"
"...your thoughts are blessed, but mine deferred."
"You must fit in!"

"What if I get more folks like me?"
"You must fit it!"
"What if they make you small, you see?"
"You must..."
"What if we make you fit...to be?"
"Let's talk about this!"

"That's what I thought."

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This is my attempt at a chant.
Ponderous little piece, isn't it.
I can see the teaching benefits of such a format,
but I don't know how soon I will return to this style,
unless I can find a lighter subject.

However, on the hopeful side
it does provide a great chant for the prevention
of negative peer pressure,
whether one is a youth or has been an adult for many years.
Peer Pressure is a loathsome beast
as much on the job
as in the school.

Writing.Com is such a gift!
After experiences that are similar to those mentioned in this poem,
it is so refreshing to be in a safe place,
where I can express my thoughts
without fear of reprisal,
even from those, who do not share my viewpoint.

There is no value in demanding agreement.
There is always Joy is receiving a hearing.

by Jay O'Toole
on January 24th, 2018