Oppression’s Child

This outer toughness
just conditioning
a baby alligator
that’s me

Raised in a swamp
Eat or be eaten!
family mantra, and
Deal with it!

I know it’s a lot
to take in
see the disbelief
in civilized eyes

Resistance to oppression
begets deeper wounds
Fear taught me well
Survival, they say, of the fittest.

(For Reena’s Xploration challenge: featured image is prompt.)