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Grades level iconsGrades 11–12
Genre information iconPoetry
Resource type iconWriting

The Great Assimilation

Kayla Wayne, 826NYC
In this poem, a student reflects on their first encounter with forced assimilation.

Talk Properly she says 

I was about 4

And fresh out of GT 

I didn’t understand why the 

White lady with 

The funny voice 

Was talking about my speech

Speak Properly she says 

But 

 

I wanted to fit in with everyone

And speak English 

I wanted so badly to go home 

To the palm trees 

To the sun

To run barefoot

I didn’t want to be the person they turned to in class 

When Caribbean people were briefly mentioned 

But I always 

 

Remembered to talk Properly 

Even when the lady at the supermarket

Tried to accuse me of stealing 

How badly I wanted to stop 

Talking in this stupid white gibberish proper shit

How badly I wanted cuss her out

And tell her about herself

But I didn’t 

 

I always remembered to speak Properly

 

From Radiant Beings: Poetry by 826NYC Students at the Academy for Young Writers, 2022

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