Camouflage
by Lauren Ortiz
University of the Incarnate Word
Lauren Ortiz is a double major in English and Secondary Education at UIW, with the goal of becoming a high school English teacher after graduating in Spring 2025. She enjoys spending time with her husband and kids, and reading psychological thrillers when she gets the chance.
Do you see this weight I carry,
the invisible armor I wear,
the scars hidden behind this plastered smile?
Do you hear the screams stifled in my throat,
my cries that fall on deaf ears?
Have you ever felt the sharp sting
of betrayal from those you trusted,
the ones who proudly wear the same uniform you once did,
who ensured your mother you were in safe hands
as you raised yours to recite the oath?
Do you taste the bitterness of injustice that lingers
no matter how much time has passed,
feel the chilling touch of violation imprinted in your nerve endings?
Do you know the strength it takes to stand taller
when no one believes you?
To speak louder
when they try to silence you?
Do you feel the heat of the fire burning within me,
the thirst for justice, the hunger to reclaim my power?
I am a woman
I am a warrior
I will not be silenced
Do you see me now?
