Misunderstood Genius
I’ve spent so much of my life trying to conform to what others want me to be.
To the stereotypes, the expectations, the judgments.
And at the end of the day,
I’ve either made everyone happy, but felt like an absolute fake.
Or I’ve shown my true self, and disappointed almost everyone I know.
I used to be a star student, at the top of my class, always striving to be better and smarter.
That was my mistake, the one thing I would honestly change if I had the chance to.
I am said to be blessed with brains, but no.
I’m smart. I was able to memorize facts, equations, and steps so I could score better on tests.
Tests that led to crushing others who didn’t have that skill, that talent.
You don’t become the best by being smarter.
You become the best by being brilliantly talented.
By showing the world that you have something other than your institutionalized education,
Because everyone has that.
No matter your school, your color, your age.
Institutionalized education is said to be the one thing that will put you on top, above the rest.
But really, it’s the one thing that will bring this nation to its knees.
Once everyone starts wanting, desiring to get only the same education as everyone else,
They lose themselves, they lose their talent.
They lose what makes them special.
I’m tired of sitting back and watching the Arts be thrown away as a waste of time.
I’m tired of sitting back and watching all the faults of our idols be what define them.
I’m tired of sitting back, waiting to be mocked.
I’m tried of being tired, to be quite honest.
I’m tired of being judged.
I’m tired of being scolded by my parents because I’m not the person, the brain, I was in middle school.
I’m tired of knowing that I have something to offer.
And I’m tired of knowing that my talents will never be fully appreciated in a school setting because I can’t always make the grade in classes that will do me no good.
I’m tired of me, of my friends, of everyone I know with a brilliant talent, being an underappreciated Misunderstood Genius.
And when told that I need to focus, I’ll say right back:
“I am focusing. It’s just too bright a dream for you to see.”
So, to all the Misunderstood Geniuses that I know are out there, remember this, if nothing else:
To be smart is to be dumb.
To be skilled is to be brilliant.
And to be talented is to be a misunderstood genius.