If Getting Rejected For Valedictorian Isn't Bad Enough Poem by Tashena McLaughlin

I wanted to make my mama happy
I wanted her to see me shine
But they took it all away
They took away my shine.

Just imagine being told
You were not picked because of how u speak
I guess she didn't say it that way
But it was the same message I received

It just wasn't a good reason
Why I couldn't be at the top
Is it because I speak Creole
Or is it because you just never wanted to give me a chance

This caused conflict within
But there was nobody to listen
Because it's not like I had a voice
Where I could go and talk to the principal

Nobody really understood my dedication
Nobody really understood my pain
I guess it would be a better reason
If she told me it was because they did 9 subjects
While I did only 8
at the same time everyone seemed to forget that I topped the grade

I was sitting in class one day
When I suddenly brought it up
I don't know if it was the pain talking
But I know I felt stuck

I looked at my teacher
And told him I had a question
He looked at me waiting until finally I asked
'Do you believe I wasn't chosen for valedictorian because of the way I sound? '

I remembered how he looked taken back
He didn't seem surprised
Maybe because he had experienced the unfairness in the school

I remember my classmates commenting
Wanting me to stand up
Who could understand my thoughts at that time
It wasn't the first time
And I guess this won't be the last

I remember my teacher calling me back
Tashena it's not your fault
He said
I never knew someone words could touch me so much
Because he put me to peace with my self

If Getting Rejected for Valedictorian Isn't bad enough
What should I experience in that school
For it to be judged as that


Maybe I'll never forget
This will follow me for life

I found myself many days asking why?
But I never got an answer
It was just another situation left unsolved

The important lesson I learned
Was that I was not alone
That there were persons I could count on
And depend on