Not Your Nigger

I stood up in front of them

My hands sweating

My brow beading

Wondering what I was going to say

I stood up in front of them

Feeling my heart racing

Hearing my pulse loudly in my ears

Forcing myself not to scream

I stood up in front of them

Unable to feel my feet on the floor

My shoulders are burdened

My eyes blurry from the fury inside

I stood up in front of them

I yelled and I screamed

I stamped my feet

I told them what it was they needed to know

I stood up in front of them

A group so different from me

A group that had no idea

A group that thought they knew me

I stood up in front of them

I explained why I was different

I told them what they didn’t want to believe

I told them

… I am NOT your nigger…