The Man Inside. Poem by Derrick Andrews

Wait, we have to wear uniforms?
Why not ask me to conform,
And strip away my freedom, the right to which I have been born.
Now I'm not asking for much,
Not world peace or a golden touch,
I simply want to be an individual, and likewise, dress as such,
Now you're telling me,
I have to be,
Another dressed up refugee,
In a camp in which the one in charge is both a tyrant and carefree?
I disagree.
For I will always stand,
A proud, intelligent, black man,
Who is not in, but leads the band,
So take me now, for what I am.
Not another dressed up clone,
Who's actions never were my own,
And yeah, I put the uniform on,
But underneath, I'm shining strong,
So please don't think that you have won,
Because this, is war, and it, is on.