CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)
I Am Who I Am By Jonathan Sanchez
I’m not who you think I am. I am a husband and a father, Just ask my wife and kids, Yes, I’ve made many mistakes. A few more than you. This steel bed I have been laying on it Hurts my back. When others point out my shortcomings, It stings as well. Yes, I have flaws and feelings, I’m only human like you. My heart is crushed by the pain of the fatherless And the role I played in their tragic story. With much shame, I watch single mothers Burdened by our decisions. I am interested in politics, I care about our education system and the future of this nation. Naive and optimistic, I too wish for world peace. However, you will never know Because I’m not who you think I am. Aside from the fact that: I’m in a cage, Inside a building covered in brick, Surrounded by high fences with razor wire, Somewhere out of sight in a rural area.
C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 2 1
It is impossible to hear my voice. My pen cannot speak nor spare my pain. Although it serves its purpose. It conveys what I’m afraid to… In an environment where: You are viewed like everything but human, Treated like an animal And expected to behave like one. The evolutionary process is inevitable! Finally, as a child, I resort to wishes. In the midst of broken stars and space dust, I wish someone would forgive me and for my Past and who I used to be. I wish you cared enough to know me For who I really am, In a cowardly desperation I’ll settle out of court for better living conditions. Since in your eyes, I will always be who they say I am.
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