Proud To Speak English

I left the Mother Land when I turned ten
With the curiosity of a child my age
To this new country I came
To play and learn her ways
Not a word of English in those days.
I sat for days and weeks at my desk listening
To the teacher speak, words that made no sense.
In class there were only two that spoke like me.
My favorite time was Art, for then I could express
Those talents just as certain as the rest

Each day I sat and wonder what was said
A pretty teacher would come each day
and she'd take me away.
We'd read fun books with new sounding words.

Withing three months one day I realized
I could understand what was being said
I light went on... to my delight, Alas! ... I felt alive!
How happy and surprised to finally realize
I was no longer in darkness but had embraced the light.

That summer time, with confidence in view
as knowledge of this language within me grew and grew.

Junior high came along,
Sitting in math class
with my new confidence
and when the teacher tried, but my name miss pronounced
a girl behind me yelled,
'She doesn't speak English! '...
to which I quickly, in deep pride replied,
'YES, I DO! '

Luz Hanaii
8-25-2010