Its NOT Fair

They think I am not interested, but I am,

Maybe it because I sit all the way in the back of the class.

Maybe, it is because since the start of the semester, I haven’t said a word

However, I am very much engaged.

Who wouldn’t be if they had 5th period Global with Ms. Keely?

Ms. Keely who is 20 something, vibrant, and full of life,

Who wouldn’t be interested in Mrs. Keely class,

Her jokes are a little dirty, but they are always in good nature.

Everyone laughs, and no one gets hurt,

I mean how could they, it’s all in good nature.

And even though I have never raised my hand in class

It is in Ms. Keely 9th grade history class is where I feel most at peace.

So why don’t I speak?

It isn’t as if I don’t know the answer,

I’ve answered every question she asked under my breath.

Yet knowing the answer won’t make me stammer any less.

I mean, I wish I could be as cool as Josh,

He isn’t as bright as me, but he definitely quick witted.

Him and Ms. Keely always have fun building off each other’s jokes,

Yes, they are a little dirty, but everyone laughs,

And no one gets hurt.

Ms. Keely always encourages me to speak up,

She always seems to look in my direction first after asking a question,

Always with a smile, as if to say,

“ Come on, I believe in you”

I know I really should say something,

Ms. Keely is nothing but supportive and nice, and she does believe in.

Also I will never make friends sitting in the back of the class, not saying a word.

So I plan to say a dirty joke next class, just like Josh does during class,

This way I can prove that I am just as smart, and Ms. Keely will laugh just like she always does.

Ms. Keely starts class with a question,

I instantly raise my hand!

The minute I say my joke, everyone will laugh, I just know it!

Ms. Keely is so happy to see my hand raised,

She calls on me instantly, and with a deep breath I say my joke

It was a little dirty, I confess, but I’ve heard worse.

And though I thought Ms. Keely would laugh as she does with Josh,

I got an opposite reaction

Her eyes widen, and her smile left her face,

Crossing her arms, she looked at me with contempt.

I didn’t understand why she wasn’t laughing as usual,

Maybe, the joke wasn’t as funny as I thought,

I try to stammer an apology, but it was to no avail.

In a tone voice we haven’t heard all semester, I was sent to the principal office.

It’s not fair,

Wasn’t this the same classroom I was told to be myself?

Yet here I was walking past my classmates,

Head down, shuffling my feet as they muttered about me.

Before darting out the room I took a quick look at Ms. Keely face,

At that instant it all clicked,

How much of a fool I was?

You see that I am black, and she is white.

And though race shouldn’t matter,

Unfortunately, it always does.

Though it never actually stated, we all recognize

What is being implied, my color of skin makes me threat to the white woman.

Beware of the oversexualized African American

Though he is only in 9th grade, be fearful of his dirty jokes,

Which are definitely a little dirty, but I have certainly have heard worse.