I Am Veronica

The title explains everything, seriously. This took me about two and a half weeks to write and I am very thankful to be finished with it!! Jaja, I hope you enjoy!

My ancestors - The aztec

 

Ignacio Zaragoza

 

Frida Kahlo

 

 

I Am Veronica

 

As a young girl, she had no problems

As a young Mexican girl, she had struggles

Growing up in Detroit city

Her brother brought home trouble

Most nights there would be gunshots –

Pandillas    /Gangs

So most nights she would duck down,

Cradled in her father’s or mother’s arms

Huddled near a wall or corner

There needed to be a change, a move

To another city – one that was much smaller

She started school there

Kindergarten…

In a school where the majority of kids were white

Her parents thought it would be better for her

Rather than the school near her new home

She arrived in the room filled with strangers

Walking around aimlessly sensing there was danger

But…there was none

They welcomed her as if she was one of them,

A smile was carved on her face

Until later, she was threatened

“I’ll have my daddy come shoot you AND your dad!”

The young girl had never been so frightened in her life…

She had done nothing wrong

You couldn’t blame her if you wanted to

It wasn’t her fault that her skin was brown

Continuing through grade school, she rarely had problems

With the exception of this boy in 5^th to 6^th grade

Even though he called her ‘s**t’ she still stayed

Although it wasn’t by choice

To others, small worlds like ‘s**t’ may not seem harmful

But they are

Some may not admit they are hurt, but inside there is burning

Burning pain and tears – never to be shed

Apart from the company of one’s self

You shouldn’t worry, there’s still junior high

Teachers would watch her

Through inquiring eyes

Trying to figure out how she kept her grades

Up to A’s and B’s

Come on, she was a minority for Christ sakes!

She shouldn’t be doing so well

Surprise blew across her face when she went to school

No one bothered her

Sure there were little remarks here & there

Little inequalities from other students in class

She’s heard them so much and been through it time and again

But hey!  She was accustomed to it

Junior high was pretty nice…

High school

Yet another step up; things were going so well

Until swine flu broke through

“Damn Mexicans!”

                        “Look, there’s one over there.  Run!!”

            “Hey!  Veronica’s Mexican!  Watch out!”

                                    “F*****g spicks…”

           “…All they do is sleep anyway…lazy w******s”

                  “Blame her!  She’s one of them!”

Flying down the halls hearing at least 8 at a time

Some directed upon her, others on all of them

There was AN UPROAR of racism

She knew that racism was still around

But she had no idea that it was still the same

The same from decades ago

So, little brownie paced through the hallways

Books clutched to her chest

A proud look on her face

Her head held as high as the ceiling

Eyes roaming over all those who stared

Never looking away

Staring back with more force than the white ones

“Yes, you know who I am

And now…I know who you are”

She wasn’t going to be scared and look at the ground

For the first time in a while, her strength held on

The words that once made her want to strike

With a power never known before

Would not be recognized any longer

The cold stares that used to make her skin crawl

Would be expunged and forgotten

Porque ella es quien ella es     /Because she is who she is

Y que no va a cambiar     /And that will not change

Ella es y sera siempre marron     /She is and will always be brown

 

Pancho Villa y Emiliano Zapata

 

Viva Mexico!  Viva La Raza!  Y yo siempre sera Veronica Christine Juanita Hernandez!  Plena de sangre mexicana!

 

/Long live Mexico!  Long live the race!  And I will always be Veronica Christine Juanita Hernandez! Full-blooded Mexican!

 

Benito Juarez

 

Author's Note

Don't be a grammar nazi. The words are what really matter. :D

Reviews

[Emmie]

It's really sad that the one country that is a melting pot of so many beautiful cultures has so many racially challenged inhabitants. Everyone bleeds the same no matter what color their skin maybe. Truth always comes out of the mouth of babes. I love your pride! Thank you for sharing this piece! XO ~Em

[AndBeForgotten]

Your story is moving and captivating. Its sad, its beautiful, its realistic-which is what makes it so good. You didn't sugar coat anything. It is just raw and truthful; the most powerful kind of poetry.

[Voice]

This is a really good poem and I loved how you put in the pictures it really adds to the feel. We all have hard times and we all have to decide how we are going to face them so hold your head high. Your cracker friend has a history of her own and trust that she knows what she is talking about. Though the past does help sculpt the future and who we are it's not something we should dwell on...you're the one helping me to remember that. You know that you will always have a friend in me...you are my Mexican sister from another Mr, you are my graham cracker and I am you un-lucid cracker, you are my BOTIT and I am your B**B not literally of course. Don't live a life remembering the jerks live a life remembering dancing in my driveway like idiots with a sign that said beep for piece, remember "call the cops there're gonna kill us all", or the dog that wants to eat us, or...or even banana phone. There will be so much more!!!!! So keep writing, remember who you are and who you are not, where you came from and where you are, and remember the awesome peoples who lovith you like meith!!!!!! :) O_o

Carol

[~Mariposa Una Lila~]

my lil darlin...this is very beautiful, your life on this page has made me cry for you....why must so many people be filled with such hate?? I don't get it!! I really don't!! I enjoyed your story sugar! x0x0x0x00x0x0x