They think because we’re young that our opinions don’t
matter,
Like we don’t know enough about the world to have a say
Therefore, we have to live constricted by a narrow path that
they’ve created for us
And if we dare step off that path,
we’re instantly labeled as disrespectful
They think because they’re older,
they automatically deserve our respect
Even if there isn’t a single drop of respectability in
that individual adult
Just because they’re older doesn’t make them wise
Just because they’re older doesn’t make them right
Just because they’re older doesn’t mean their opinions,
their feelings, their ideas
get instantly placed above ours
They think because we’re young that we don’t know
stress,
but we’re pushed, pushed, pushed harder everyday
that we can’t even enjoy this bittersweet thing called
“youth”
One minute,
they’re saying “grow up!”
And the next,
we have no right to act like adults and make our own
decisions
So what do they want?
Maybe they’re just jealous
With their weaker bones and diminished energy,
maybe they’re jealous
that their hearts and minds are too full of prejudice and
disappointments 
that there’s hardly any room left for understanding and
compassion
They think we’re too young to truly know about love,
as if we need gray hairs and decades of life to ever know
what love is,
but we may know more about it than them
Our youthful hearts are open windows
more accepting to differences and new ideas
due to our innocent curiosity,
while theirs have been closed like bolted vaults
for they’ve turned their curiosities into fear
Juveniles don’t invade countries or start wars over things
like religion
Adults do
Looking around,
you can see children and teenagers of every race and
religion hug, 
hold hands, 
laugh, love, and smile
while the so-called “mature” people who rule the world
act like babies,
whining and throwing a fit about the things they don’t
understand
Just because they’re older doesn’t make them wise
Just because they’re older doesn’t make them right
Age shouldn’t determine who does 
or does not deserve respect
It shouldn’t determine who has a voice
and who must stay silent
It’s just a number