Uniforms were a visual representation of our oppression
A blatant denial of our desperate desire, love, inherent need for self expression
A Catholic school for Christian girl
A sinner in a saint's world
Less than holy
Tainted soul
Their church the only way to make me whole
White chalk to the black boards
Writing lies and truths
Facts and opinions separating I from you
Images of the crucifix everywhere I go
That pure white face staring straight into my soul
The aroma of incense still linger to remind of that thick smoke coating my throat
Till my own voice I could no longer find
Only coughing up commandments and prayers engrained in my mind
Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Padre nuestro que esta en el cielo
Santificado sea tu nombre
Brown and Black bodies united by God
Divided by race
Sharing the same school and neighborhoods
Yet two worlds away
Too blind to see that we were one in the same
One common cause
Denying our sisters and brothers
Refused to see the world through the eyes of another
I was unapologetically Pro-Life and Anti-Affirmative action
My worldview limited to my immediate interactions
Discipline and prayer
The key to self-stisfaction
Community a burden
Independence a must
Stay focused, eyes on the prize
Always me, mine, and I
Never we, ours, and us
I had my eyes wide shut
All the while learning lies
Creating truths in my mind
Yet begging to be blind
See, bliss is ignorance
In this world of hypocrites
Where the world it benefits
From your lack of vigilance
A nation built on the backs of others
A close examination of the facts uncovers
We live in a time where nice guys finish first
Only if they prepare for the best and expect the worst
Pessimism, negativity, or cynicism
Call it what you like
But out of sight, out of mind only complicates the fight
Going toe to toe with the invisible adversary
Like boxing with the wind
Each swing, body and mind becoming weary
Four years, my brain had no stimulation
P.E. to meet state regulations
But no exercise for my mind
And slowly it died
A steady but painless death
I was making straight A's
So focused in my grades
Not knowing my brain was taking its last
Breaths
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