I AM NOT

A poem I wrote at 16 and my first published piece of work.

                   I AM NOT by Josh 2006
I AM NOT SOME BIG FOOTBALL-PLAYER
LIFTING MORE THAN YOU WEIGH
WANNA BE BLACK GUY THAT YOU SHOULD FEAR
BECAUSE OF MY SIZE. I AM NOT A DUMB STUDENT
I AM NOT A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
I'M NOT THE UNEMPLOYED HANGING OUT IN A GANG.
STEALING FROM STORES, DRUG DEALING CRIMINAL
YOU SEE ON THE CORNER. I AM NOT A PERSON WHO
WOULD BE HURT BY AN INSULT. I'M NOT ALWAYS
SERIOUS. LIKE PLAYING AROUND. LIKE TO BE AT
SCHOOL. LIKE CHILLING WITH MY FRIENDS. BUT THAT
DOESN'T MEAN I'M WEAK. I AM NOT APUPPET.
I AM NOT MEXICAN, HONDURAN, BRAZILIAN, INDIAN,
BLACK, WHITE OR YELOW. I AM PUERTO RICAN AND
DOMINICAN. BUT I AM NOT AN HISPANIC WHO JUST EATS
RICE AND BEANS, LISTENS TO SALSA AND MERENGUE
AND WEARS SUMMER CLOTHES IN THE WINTER.
I AM NOT SIMPLE TO FIGURE OUT. BUT I AM A
STUDENT ATTEMPTING, TRYING, WORKING TO
SUCCEED IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE
AND DO SOMETHING WITH MY LIFE.
I AM JOSHUA RODRIGUEZ.