I’m Supposed to be the First

In class, the teacher would say all these words. The teacher I called by her first name, would say all these words I didn’t know… So I would write them down so I could look ‘em up later. -That didn’t stop me from speaking- But I refused to raise my hand and ask. I refused to lift my holyghost hand and pull up my dead daddy doorknob brother cokehead namesake can’t read uncle fast ass cousin all up with me, in the middle of this big ass table for a poetry workshop in Reisenger Hall.

I ain’t wanna be all that, and black too.