Set me free from this prison–
one built of my flesh and bone!
Skin aches to breathe, I deny it.
The chest it burns, lungs they scream!
Limbs are skinny, limbs are weak.
Curves of a woman, no man!
Parts missing, parts too many.
I wish to cut! To be free!
“It’s what’s in your pants,” they say.
I am illegal, a freak!
I’m just a human trapped.
Existence political!
Gender is my own jailer.
Body biological!
Hatred is killer, you see?
Trans is not a disease!
Raya Kruger is a transfer student from St. Louis Community College and is currently a junior at Lindenwood University. He is earning his degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. In his free time, he enjoys buying books (ignoring the many others on his shelf), rereading Six of Crows, and writing poetry, short stories, and nonfiction pieces. He is a biracial transgender writer and often shares his experiences in his work.
Arrow Rock Literary Journal 
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