Little Miss Performative-Outrage — The Hashtag Cape

Lyrics

[Intro]
Oh, my little glowing rectangle, what have we done today?

[Verse 1]
At 2:14 PM, on this Tuesday in June, you lit up in my palm,
Twitter app open, fingers hovering over the keyboard like hesitant birds.
The news of the protest in Portland, the one with the signs and the tear gas,
I typed in all caps: THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! #StopTheViolence #SolidarityNow.
You vibrated with the send, a tiny thrill up my arm,
As if we'd marched ourselves, as if our pixels were feet on the pavement.

[Chorus]
Hashtag cape, draped over my feed,
Worn for the likes, the retweets that feed
This hunger inside, to be seen as the one
Who cares, who fights, from the couch in the sun.
But dinner at Elena's, 7:30 sharp,
The pasta cooling, and not a word from my lips.

[Verse 2]
Elena asked about my day, fork twirling spaghetti,
I mentioned the sale at Nordstrom, the shoes I almost bought.
The tablecloth white, wine glasses half-full of Merlot from 2018,
No mention of Portland, no echo of the chants.
You stayed in my purse, screen dark, notifications silenced,
While I laughed at Marco's joke about his boss's tie.

[Bridge]
Dear phone, you're my mirror at night,
Reflecting the hero I post, the light
Of validation in blue notifications.
But without you, who am I? Just quiet,
A girl at a table, cause forgotten by dessert.

[Verse 3]
Back home at 10:42, I check you again,
87 likes, 12 retweets, a comment from Sarah: "Yas queen!"
The cape feels real for a moment, silk against my skin,
Until tomorrow's outrage, another afternoon win.

[Outro]
Hashtag cape, folded by dawn,
Worn for an hour, then quietly gone.