A poem created as part of my grad school Poetic Diversity Project:
Where I grew up
all the faces were variations of my own
Snow White, Cinderella,
assorted Prince Charmings
interchangeable
My experiences with other cultures were
Princess Tiger Lily, Little Black Sambo,
Emperor’s Nightingale.
But somehow I knew the world was bigger
and I wanted to wrap my tongue
around other languages
entwine new vowels
between rhythmic syllables and
see inside minds that
offered something
more.
Offered something
more.
Offered something
not better
not worse
just different
Because different is worth noticing
because different means to the same end
speak to a journey with different views
a different beauty
a different way
of being human,
offers something
more.
Shawn L. Bird 