Look at Me
A Testimony of a Once High School Student
Truly look at her,
And what do you see?
A girl with glasses,
And an unfinished smile.
But when people look down,
What do they see?
Not a skirt or heels,
But jeans and a tee.
Not what people think,
But what they don’t see,
Is what’s under the skin.
They have these high hopes,
And they don’t know even know her.
The bird that wants to be free,
And show what she’s got.
But when she’s pushed and taunted,
She can’t do that.
She’s been through from the very beginning to now.
And those silent tears are still hidden.
I am this girl, but people don’t see me.
Because of those images and expectations.
They can’t see what I can really do.
They can’t look beyond the appearance.
If you look at me,
You’ll understand that I am one of a kind.
I am me, a person to be understood,
People to know that I am different,
And not afraid to show it.
But when I’m pushed and teased,
That same little girl is back again,
Where she cried every day because of the pain.
When I walk down the hallway,
You may not hear the whispers and the laughter,
But I do.
Being called different names,
Names I don’t want to repeat,
Because it stings and cuts deep.
The pain grows sharper,
Pushing me until I have to fall.
I’ll reach my breaking point,
I will not surrender.
No matter how many times I fall,
I will not rise to an image that is not me.
I am not willing to be so low,
To change my appearance for the better of others.
But that does not mean people have the right,
To judge me nor the people I love.
My family and friends know who I am.
They understand me,
Why can’t others.
My life had a past,
A past that haunted me.
I made mistakes,
That I learned from.
I saw things from my family that I shouldn’t have,
I’m the same person I am today.
Don’t judge me for my past nor my looks,
Judge me for me,
Judge me for what I can do.
It doesn’t matter what I look like,
What does matter is what’s under the skin.
I am me.
It stops today,
Enough is enough.
It’s high time for people to grow up,
And look at themselves in the mirror,
And say this is the real person I am hurting.
This is the real bully,
This is someone that has a problem.
This little girl has grown stronger and known better.
If you look at me,
Truly look at me,
You’ll understand who I am.
Because I am not changing for anyone.
About the Creator
Teddi Coleman
a social worker. a teacher. taking one step at a time.
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