Ignorance in Bliss

A spoken word about my experience.

As I step through the door,  

I feel the eyes appraising me,  

A limp in my stride,  

Yet discrimination greets me instantly�"  

No “hi,” no smile,  

Just rude service in return,  

For not donning a suit,  

I find solace in thrift stores,  

Not throwing dollars  

At markets that exploit the mind.  

People say EDUCATION is the key,  

But what if ignorance is all you’re taught?  

When does one find the lock to unfold  

The questions buried deep within?  

I was a high school dropout,  

Not by choice,  

But by ceaseless bullying,  

Racial discrimination piling high,  

Until my mind said, “No more.”  

Running away came with a price,  

Caught in a system that binds,  

My name transformed into a number,  

Exploiters waiting to steal my soul,  

Breaking me down to dust,  

Leaving my mind adrift in madness.  

All the shattered pieces on the ground,  

I came to America seeking an escape,  

“Land of the Free” hangs as a promise,  

But how many slaves must suffer  

From these deceiving lies?  

The government promises justice, yet remains blind,  

Or perhaps it’s willful ignorance�"  

Some part of the very machine  

That keeps the market spinning.  

The economy crashes,  

Blame cast on both sides of the political divide,  

While we cling to our comforting beliefs,  

Unseeing the truth that lies beneath.  

A sea of naive children,  

Relying on media to shape their views,  

Fascinated by the notion  

That desperation is the only path to rise,  

While Satan lurks at the end of the road.  

Can’t you see? The ultimate cause  

Of this atrocity is our children,  

Crying out in unison,  

“I just need you with me.”  

So many films produced today,  

Yet none make the Oscar cut,  

Because they refuse to exploit  

Or glamorize our children’s plight�"  

**Trust**, **Disconnect**, **Eden**�"  

My story lost in the shuffle.  

We watch tales of sorcery and magic,  

Transporting us to Neverland,  

Keeping us sheltered from the truth,  

While we ignore where our children have gone.  

I’m constantly summoned by those in power,  

To “help” educate the public,  

So they can earn their stars,  

While I share my horrific story,  

Receiving a tissue, a hollow “thank you,”  

Sincerity absent in their eyes.  

My words become their statistics,  

Twisted to fit their agenda,  

Many who share my name  

Are perpetually overlooked,  

Like the slaves who built the White House�"  

Are their names ever memorialized? No.  

I never went to college,  

But my lessons can’t be found  

In any institution or lecture hall.  

I struggled through HS Geography,  

But my hustling taught me  

The routes of buyers and sellers.  

I wasn’t a mathematician,  

Yet I learned to be the bookie,  

Managing funds over fifty grand a day.  

I earned my education in Political Science  

From a “john” who represented my old state,  

A puppet in a show he financed,  

I learned how to rewrite the score.  

And lastly, I grasped the economy,  

Understanding trade,  

Distribution, money laundering, and racketeering�"  

From drugs to human exploitation,  

All without a college education.  

So, if you think education equals intelligence,  

Think again before you tread that path.  

Education opens some doors,  

But the streets reveal so much more,  

Be cautious on your journey,  

For everything we learn comes with a price.  

 

© Chong Kim, 2013