I Am...

I am an African-American student
I wonder why white people hate me so much
I hear them yelling at me
I see one hundred army soldiers
I want society to be just like me
I am an African-American student and that is it.

I pretend to be strong and neveer concerned, but
I feel my heart pounding inside of my chest.
I need to feel that I am accepted by them.
I worry that I will never be safe while I am in this place.
I cry only when I am at home, so I always seem to be very strong but still
I am a member of the Little Rock

I understand they might have opposing views about what they call my kind,
I believe that it can all change if they give us a chance
I dream of this all going away and the world being just one
I try to never show my weaknesses
I hope that one day, people will see that we are all of the same kind, not against each other
I am an unaccepted member of the Little Rock Nine