DIFFERENT

With rainbow socks and Chucks I walked

Down the street to my bus stop

Soon my neighbors joined me there

And at my outfit they began to stare

They whispered to each other and asked,

“Was that her intent?”

I cringed because I was different

I moved to Carolina at age eight

Away from the urban vibrance of D.C.

I soon began to speak like my friends

And lost my accent from the Northeast end

When I spoke to my cousins, they chuckled and asked,

“So was your life here insignificant?”

I cringed because I was different

I discovered my love for acting very young

It changed my perspective on life and love

When I chose the arts as my future career

The adults I told would begin to sneer

They gave each other looks and asked,

“Is making little money your life’s intent?”

I cringed because I was different

But soon I realized, to hell what people think

I will continue to be me no matter what

I am a peacock in a sea of sparrows

I wear my own colors and follow my own arrows

When strangers look at me and ask,

“How do I become as confident as you?”

I smile because I am different

I disregard the negative opinions of others

In fact, I always laugh

It intrigues me that a person has the need

To comment on my “flaws” and not my good deeds

My “flaws” make me who I am

When others say, “She is so different.”

I smile because I am different

I laugh because they are all the same.