Ma insisted this would happen

Said to keep my head bowed down,

Eyes on the floor, no hint of thought

Happy to stay within my lane.

Dad mentioned this could happen

But believed I’d rise above,

Insisted only I could determine

Whether to stay within my lane.

I dug deep for what was in me

Pulled out all that I could find,

And ignored the looks and whispers

Tried to fly within my lane.

Proven mighty in their privilege

Turned out lights and walked away,

Shook their heads, shot looks of pity

All alone within my lane.

Subsumed within my rage

Every name I could recall,

I threw at them, in my head,

While I stayed within my lane.

The anger passed as time does

Random musings took its place,

Strange turn of phrase it is for one

To stay within one’s lane.

Repurposed from the start

To mean conquer and control,

How elitist to demand that one

Should stay within one’s lane.

Reflection led to wonder

Who creates the lanes we know,

And has the right to say to all

Just stay within your lane.

Whispered prayers eventually led to stillness

In the silence I heard the Word and slipped out from within my lane.