American | Teen Ink

American

December 7, 2020
By Anonymous

I had to work to get where I’m at

So I’m proud of what I’ve got, man what’s wrong with that?

Just ‘cause I show off doesn’t mean I’m not humble

I burned a dozen pots ‘fore I made decent gumbo


You’re pissed off that “they” can get legally eloped,

but if there’s poison in their brains then where the f*ck is the antidote?

You want us to be nice, well you should’ve been nice first

We stuffed it away for years, about time that the closet burst


I don’t give a damn what you think of me

I do what I can ‘cause it sets me free

You tryna give a scare, instill fear in me?

You’re not even close to the baddest I’ve seen


Got a skill toolset like I’m an auto mechanic

But if I hear it outta you, I’ll tell you to can it

I sure as hell wasn’t lucky, wasn’t born with talent, trust me

I learned what I’ve got ‘cause living demands it


You didn’t see the hours I slaved,

You never saw those sour days

Where I couldn’t get up without throwing up

Because I was too afraid. 


I know there are those that get new things

 and put on a show for all to see. 

And those who work and slave all day

With what could never be seen as livable pay


In this country, success is money

The  government doesn’t work for someone like me

That said, remember what I tell ya

What can be done by some broke fella?


Look around and, like me, you’ll see

There’s a couple ways to beat the American “Dream”


The author's comments:

This piece's rhyming style and word choice was inspired by 80s/90s hip-hop artists and groups like N.W.A, and who often made songs about the lives of minorities in America. The theme of the poem also discusses an unfair social structure in America that harms people of color, low-income families, and the LGBTQ+ community. I write about pride in accomplishments, but I also want to tell people that they are more than a trend on social media. There are still people fighting for the rights and equity that you deserve. I hope to bring back and continue the same awareness and solidarity we saw this summer by publishing my poem. 


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