Who am I?

I look in the mirror and see

A tan, brown Mexican girl,

Not as pretty as can be

Hiding my thoughts 

Under my dark brown eyes

I use them as devices of my disguise.

 

My parents want perfection

My parents want the best

I try to be amazing

But I can never win and then rest

It’s a never ending cycle,

You have to make it through

“Gotta get those A’s

Or else poverty will stick to you like glue”.

 

My friends, they think I’m special

They tell me that I am kind

But they have no idea,

They do not know the rambling thoughts that stay in my mind.

 

It’s such a busy world

With so many people to please

So many figures

They all expect the best out of me.

 

Once again, my parents

They are my drive,

They are the ones who raised me,

The ones who helped me make up my mind

Of what I should be doing for the rest of my life

 

I always said that I wanted to teach

But they said “No, that’s not right”

So, they chose nursing,

Said that it would be best

They tell me that I’ll love it,

That it will give me a life better than all the rest.

 

But I need to step up,

I need to pull off the mask

The mask of obedience 

The mask that has ruled my life

I need to remain respectful

But also let them see,

The life they are planning out,

It’s just not for me.

 

I need to expose my face,

The one of passion and desire,

To change the world the way that I want to,

I know that doing so will fuel my fire. 

 

And so the story goes, 

I must push these thoughts through

Will it happen?

I am hoping that it will soon.

My face can be exposed, 

Once the mask is torn off

And in order to remove that mask

Courage must be made not just a thought.