College.

Every young girl and boy's dream. 

A place where you create your niche.

And become skilled.

Hopefully enough to prosper.

 

They build you up to it your entire life. 

Only to stop you in your tracks. 

 

A young girl who is smart. 

Words like

Gifted. 

Exceptional. 

Advanced.

Float around in the air,

Spoken reverently by

Teachers. 

Parents. 

Principals. 

"You will go far" They assure you. 

 

They back your ambitions

As far as the public system will go. 

And then 

You are

On

Your

Own. 

 

A few scholarships here.

A small grant there. 

A minimum wage job for the basics.

 

Community college only gets you so far. 

In a world where the phrase "Bachelor's Degree"

is the new GED. 

 

A four-year institution. 

Financial aid speeches. 

Hundreds, thousands of dollars. 

Only ever spoken of in vague, imaginary words. 

 

Scholarships, they say. 

But there are almost none for a 

Single, 

White,

Dependant, 

Middle Class Girl. 

 

Grants, they tell you. 

But being a 

Single,

White, 

Dependant, 

Middle Class Girl with

Married, 

Overworked, 

White, 

Middle Class Parents

is not enough to qualify. 

 

LOANS, they scream. 

But the 

Single, 

White, 

Dependant, 

Middle Class Girl

can only do so much. 

 

And the

Married, 

Overworked,

White, 

Middle Class Parents

put so much into

house and home. 

 

Refinanced twice. 

New car. Old car.

Two kids.  

Repairs, bills. 

 

Debt consolidation. 

 

They can understand the rest. 

But the last. 

That is unforgiveable. 

 

DENIED until paid off,

they say over the phone.

(Which is soon.

So soon.

Four measley months left.

So why can't they

give us a break?) 

 

The Single, 

White,

Dependant, 

Middle Class Girl,

Who is required summer classes,

Needs money now. 

 

Or she will lose every 

Scholarship, 

Grant, 

And loan, 

She has managed to scrounge. 

 

Because a transfer student

Must do so immediately.

Or else not qualify.

 

Where to turn?

To the

Overworked,

White,

Middle Class Family?

 

They have none to spare.

Lives of their own.

 

Just like the

Single,

White,

Dependant,

Middle Class Girl

Who is trying to build  

A life of simple comfort

And happiness in a career. 

 

And so says the Girl,

To a government

Who has not updated their system

In a dozen years;  

Who has created aid for Criminals, 

The Very Poor, 

The Foreign, 

And the Unfortunate:

 

What about the 

Single,

White,

Dependant,

Middle Class Girl? 

 

Does this not scream but one word:

Unfair?