A Thought Today by Yuri Kageyama

sometimes the cruelty is unbearable

the way they snicker

say No

you

don’t

even

exist

it hurts

you know inside

it is because they are white

and you are not

and you remember

the way it happens

over and over

not from when you are born

when your mother hugged you

and your father taught you

and you had friends

who had toys and laughed

you remember

how it happens when

the world finally includes white people

who hate you

say you look like a doll

ignore you

make you feel small

find new names for you

at least they didn’t kill you

but they always like to say

No