by LaTasha Cockhearn

This piece originally ran in Read This!, a literary magazine written and edited by high school students from San Lorenzo High School, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years old. This issue of Read This! was designed at 826 Valencia with the help of our tutors and volunteers.

Yes! Black is the color of my skin
And if you want to really want to be a friend
How come you can’t look within
My heart, my soul, and my mind
You’ll never feel me so never mind

I feel like just because I’m not white
I can’t be right
Constantly being stopped at night
When all I was doing was reaching for my flashlight
Oh no imma have to put up a fight
I think all colors are a beautiful sight

I feel like I’m trapped in a little space
With no place to run nor hide my face
All of a sudden my heart slowly begins to race
Going through this is a disgrace
To all people
This bit is deceitful

I take a deep breath (haaaaaam)
From all this madness
Sadness
Gladness
That I constantly go through
But what do I do
Use the bottom of my shoe
To erase my trace

On the negative path that I went down
Hearing the loneliness of my foot steps slowly
Following behind me my baby imprints is what I found
What’s that I see my inner soul just
Boom hit the ground
Not only falling with a smile but also a frown
At the same time

When I all I wanted to do is shine
Make my dreams come true
But just like that they’re gone by you
Not being you

Hating me because of my skin
What happens to looking beyond and within

All it took was you calling me a nigger
And just like that I put the gun to my head

Wishing I was dead
Taking my own life but with
Your finger pulling the trigger

I live my life in sin
But now I’m
Looking beyond and within