There’s No Such Thing as Monsters

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My father told me at night.
“No dragons under your bed.
No spooks to fill you with fright.
Those bad things are in your head.”

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My mom told me every day.
“You will grow up and you’ll see,
Beaked things won’t treat you like prey.
Horrid creatures cannot be.”

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My priest told me every week.
“He has made us all the same.
Hate the strong, God loves the meek.
Intolerance is to blame.”

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My neighbor told me one day.
“We do not hurt anyone.
Can’t help it, we’re born this way.
It’s not like we’d touch your son.”

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My mayor told me before.
“Evil is you and your kin.
We don’t need you anymore.
Bigotry is the real sin.”

“There’s no such thing as monsters,”
My police told me today.
“There’s nothing that we can do.
Privileged men have no say.
Nothing they do can hurt you.”

“There’s such a thing as monsters,”
My heart told me all the time.
“Though many are shaped like men.
Some would sell you for a dime.
Be wary or they will win.”