Dying to Live
A black man would say I'm white, clearly visible freckles fallen across my face
A white person would say I'm half Iranian
A persian person would say I'm half Amricaee
To other quarter norwegians I am a fellow quarter norwegian
To a more-spanish-than-native-lighter-skinned-than-me latina
I am white. All white.
But I am a minority, I say
to my high school counselor
where i was one of two-three iranians
no more than 30 middle-easterns
of 2,400 minds filling with knowledge
among other things filling walkways
and classrooms waiting for inspiration.
you're not considered a minority
you are white. all white.
but white is not white and black is not black
and yellow is not yellow
and how can i be colorless with a black sister
Salvadorean mother Cameroonian and half Japanese-half Chinese brothers
Russian cousin Half-Korean cousin
Ecuadorian son Persian father Norwegian grandmother
and we are all shades of brown
all color paints making black
all color light making white
AND
all different light waves photons
reflecting different color cultures
we bring together to make the
most beautiful collage you have ever seen
we are the eight year old in africa dying of laughter
in russia dying of hunger
in Samoa dying to give
in Uruguay dying to love
in Indonesia dying to find
and we are ALL
Dying to Live