Poem: I am an American

 Hi.

Before we get to the poem I decided to write, I want to get something off my chest.

So, earlier this week, I was planning to post a new chapter of my online story, The Mysteries of the Community Service Club. But after what happened at Atlanta, I changed my mind and thought it better to return to another story instead, because I didn't believe the contents of the chapter were appropriate to share during such a painful time as this. I tweeted about this yesterday, but didn't disclose a reason. Now you know why. 

But towards the end of today, I decided not to post a story this week. Instead, I decided to write a poem.

Now, I am lucky to have never experienced discrimination in its worst possible forms, to live in a place where such incidents are so rare they may as well be non-existent. But when I looked up the news, turn to my favorite streaming websites, go use a search engine to earn some points, and I saw what was happening, it just upset me. And it made me fearful for my relatives because my aunts, uncles, cousins, and maybe some nieces and nephews I don't know about all live in a city, or cities, where those heinous crimes took place. I haven't heard anything so far, so I'm grateful to High Heaven for that.

If you've been following my stories, read my books, and are up to date with current events, I think it should be pretty obvious to you what I've been talking about, why this week's most recent current events were particularly important to me, and why I was affected this way. 

This poem is also inspired by the aforementioned current events, with my feelings about them poured into it.

Without further ado, I give you "I am an American".

*****

I am an American
I was born under the Red, White, and Blue
My Speech and my Accent are no different than a White Man's in the Suburbs

I grew up watching the same American Shows
I've pledged allegiance to the same American Flag
I've studied the same American History
It's no stretch that American Values and Culture  is Engraved in my Heart and Soul

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts
I have not been wounded
I have not been assaulted
But it hurts nonetheless

It hurts me to see Americans hurt Americans
It hurts me to see my fellow Americans Battered, Bruised and Crying
It hurts to know my fellow Americans Suffer
When they're guilty of no Sin or Crime

It hurts because they watched the same American Shows
It hurts because they pledged to the same American Flag
It hurts because they studied the same American History
It hurts because they have the same American Values and the same American Culture
Engraved in their Hearts and Soul

It hurts because they have Black Hair
It hurts because they have Brown Eyes
Like Mirrors of Myself

Wo hui shuo Zhongwen
Nihongo o Benkyoushimashita
I'm proud of my Family's Heritage
I enjoyed their Traditions and Festivals
But I'm no less American than the American in the Oval Office
I'm no less American than the Americans on the Senate Floor

Tamen shuo Zhongwen
Karera wa Nihongo o Hanashimasu
Geudeul-eun hangug-eoleulhanda
They speak many, many, many others

But they are no less American than the American in the Oval Office
They are no less American than the Americans on the Senate Floor
They are no less American than I
They are no less American than You

When you curse at Them, you curse at Americans
When you push Them, hit Them, kill Them
You push Americans, hit Americans, kill Americans

Attacking Them, Us, is no different than attacking America

You are American, but We are American too