No One Knows Me But Me

They exclude me, so I live without them,
they take my freedom, so I live chained,
they steal my happiness, so I live with sorrow,
they threaten my life, so I live in fear,
they take my thoughts, so I live thoughtless,
they steal all of my love, so I live without love,
they extinguish my will power, so I live without hope,
they suck out my marrow, so I live hollowly,
they confiscate my Bible, so I live and talk with God,
they burn my books, so I live without an education,
they take away light, so I live with thought of day,
they take away music, so I compose music,
they forbid dancing, so I choreograph,
they take away joy, so I live without laughter,
who understands me when I say this is lovely?
who undersands me when I say I have found life?
 
I cannot walk on water or multiply something from little,
I cannot part the seas or make a volcano errupt,
I can care for others, and I am amazed at how they love me,
I am remorseful for my failures, bewildered by my future,
I am loving and kind,
in this thing they call a world of love,
I enjoy being me,
and I have discovered my hidden crevices,
they were made apparent by the existing darkness
when they took away my light,
when they excluded me and stole my happiness.
I stumbled after these signs
like a drunk and found myself,
followed the rugged and rocky path,
deeper into tumultuous waters and unearthed my-
self.
who taught me light is not everything,
and gave me so much freedom,
and they talked, happiness poured from their souls,
and i enjoyed laughing again,
we laughed like giddy school children with bosom friends,
who understands me when I say this is lovely?
2/6/04

Author's Note

This was fashioned after the poem "Who Understands Me But Me" By Jimmy Santiago Baca.