I am an American Citizen
My hair is as brown as the soil under my feet
My skin is like the sand I feel at the beach
My eyes are blue like a water-filled creek
I wear dresses and skirts like it’s apart of me
I am an American Citizen
My grades never drop below a B
I feel like I can run thousands of feet
I have siblings that refuse to keep the peace
My family is as perfect as on TV
I am an American Citizen
I look in a mirror and don’t see me
Jokes about “others” don’t reach me
Apparently I go through phases like the moon
Will my brightness come back? Hopefully
I am an American Citizen
I see violence and hate on TV
Screams on the other side of the world haunt me
I want to scream for them you see
But apparently I should just leave it be
Am I an American Citizen?
I cut my hair to feel like me
I don’t wear skirts, I wear what feels like me
But hateful stares are all I can see
I don’t think I’m allowed to be me.
Am I an American Citizen?
My grades still glisten
But when I speak for me, nobody listens
People say I’ll change some day
A new moon that’ll eventually be full
I never knew full moons were that dull
I’m Not an American Citizen
I speak for those struggling like me
I yell with anger fueling me
I’m a sinful priest, trying to preach
Make others wonder, is America truly free?
If this is a land of the free…
Why am I not allowed to be me?
I’m not an American Citizen.
Author’s Note:
I based most of this poem on myself. I’ve been living in Suburban Texas for my whole life, and it’s very rooted in traditions and expectations. I’m Nonbinary, and I’ve always wanted to speak up for myself, others like me, and those who face any sort of hate just because of who they are. The point of this poem is to show that you could be an amazing student and person, which is what we expect Americans to be like, but the second you’re different, none of that matters.
Lee Cleveland | 14 | Austin, TX | @xuterri on TikTok
