Episode One: An Ode to the Haters
In this episode, Hayli confronts an uncomfortable situation from her past that made her question her worth. In this spoken word debut, she snaps back at anyone who has ever made her doubt the significance of her dreams.
An Ode to the Haters, the Naysayers, and the Trolls
How dare you tell me
I’m nothing special
as you stand in a room
full of people
who would rather eat rocks
then listen to the utter shit that you spew.
Even still,
the toxicity of your words
burns far greater than the blow
dripping down your throat
giving you the confidence
to tread on my self-worth.
For a moment,
like an unexpected wave in a tsunami,
I choke on the saltiness of the sudden tears
you don’t deserve to see me weep.
Instead, I smile through locked lips
wondering about the woman you claim to love.
Do you speak to her like this too?
As shaken as I am
by this unfortunate encounter
in time,
I know I will remember this:
I’m safe in the castle
built in the clouds
of every dream I’ve ever dreamt
since the day I learned how to dream.
Your words,
like misdirected arrows,
will eventually fall short of these walls
and pierce the foundation
You stand on, trembling.
They will never reach me, But you?
You will carry their burden and feel their weight
as you sink deeper in the quicksand of your own mediocrity.
These demons you project
thrive because of your own fear of being.
They cast a shadow
that swallows you whole
in a permanent nightmare called complacency.
As you wallow in the rubble of your failed aspirations
burned down by the flames of your own venom
I hope you recognize this.
My potential exceeds the boundaries of this earth
and I won’t rest
until I know the intimacy of the stars.
I will build others up and celebrate their magnificence.
They will know their worth.
They will believe they are special.
Because the only thing we need from those who don’t believe
is enough fuel to catapult us into the cosmos
so far beyond your reach,
You’ll never burden us with the heaviness of your words again.
I will have built a tribe of empresses and kings
who shine with the brilliance of a thousand suns.
Who like me, stand in their truth every minute of every day.
Who radiate love from the depths of their hearts.
And extend kindness in every direction.
And respect the human condition.
And celebrate qualities that make each of us so damn unique.
You will become just another body who occupied the negative space.
And we will emerge as the brightest stars in the skies
leading others on their paths to greatness.
Perhaps you didn’t know,
but I’m here to finally tell you.
I’m as god damn special as they come.