To be me
and show I never hid behind
the color of my skin
show that I’m not perfect
though history has hid
no gifts from me.
And hey,
my hair can’t do that
and yeah, my clothes ain’t cool
and dancing to the music
has never been my thing
but read my lips:
think twice before you say
I’m not your brother.
Leaves fall from a tree
no matter what their color
flutter here and there
before they hit the ground.
***
This was the result of another in-class assignment in my Experience of Poetry class. Assignment follows.
Inspiration: "my dream about being white," by Lucille Clifton
Title has to be "my dream about being white." One stanza. You also must use each of the following words at least once: Music, Me, Hair, Flutter, Leaves, Perfect, Behind, Lips, History, Clothes, Dancing, Hey, Fall, Future.
Like the others, you have ten minutes (I get five in class, plus the time it takes about half the class to read).