Christmas Break

in my old school

we didn't have

winter break.

we had

christmas break.

time off to roll in

the sweet corruption of

capitalism.

i celebrated christmas,

but i had friends who didn't.

my jewish friend had to go to school

on her holiday.

my muslim friend had to

skip school

to participate in her holiday.

but christians

got their time off.

no matter what branch

of christianity you

are part of

you always get

christmas day off.

because it's not winter break.

it's not designed

to accommodate everyone.

it's just another priviledge

of the majority.

the day my friend was absent

in gym class

i realized just how privileged we are.

even if i'm not a christian,

i celebrate christian holidays,

because here,

we've been taught, however subtly

that christianity is right.

it is embedded in our very culture,

in our very world.

persecution is having to skip school because

your holiday is not

accommodated.

persecution is

listening to someone say

merry christmas

when you don't even

celebrate it.

persecution is

going on christmas break

even when

you don't get

a break of your own.