What are you shielding, exactly? Is it justice, or the weight of a lie? Behind that badge, behind that wall, Do you hear the heartbeats you’ve silenced— Or do you even try? Children once laughed, their hearts so light, But now they sit quiet, out of your sight. Their stars don’t sparkle; their dreams feel far, They’ve learned too young what fear can scar. You wear the shield, but what does it hide? The truth of a world where trust has died. They don’t feel safe; they don’t feel whole— Their little hearts ache, robbed of their soul. What are you shielding, exactly? Because it’s not their innocence or joy. It’s the sound of their heartbeats fading away— The ones who no longer believe they’re more than a ploy. Do you see them? Do you hear their cries? Or do you turn away from their ques