2007 - Secondary - Honorable Mention - Bergman

Arianne Bergman, 10th Grade (Age 15)
Lakeside School - Seattle, WA
Title: Human, Poem
Parent: Keith Bergman


Jan 16, 2007

They said

"No, you can't share my crayons."
"You're a wolf-man!"
"I can't be homophobic because I'm not scared of homos. Why do you care so much, anyway?
What are you, a dyke?"
"Faggot. Get the fuck away from me, queer."

And I thought

The box has 192. Isn't that enough to share?
I'm not even male.
You don't understand what it means, and I don't have the right words yet.
Why are you saying this to me?

While

No one shared their crayons. I used a pencil and shaded.
"Hey, stop calling her names! It's not nice!"
"C'mon, Justin, lay off, man."
I said nothing.

Excluded, even in such a simple manner, was the story of that year, second grade.
A friend, one of few that year who'd say anything, didn't know me yet and spoke up.
A later friend who said a few words did more for eighth grade than she knew.
Thoughts of, "No. You get the fuck away from me, bigot" died unborn in my head.

Still I am
Trying to understand
What is wrong with sharing?
With leaving people as people?
With being a dyke?
With being?

But still trying to make them understand
There's nothing wrong with me
And then nothing wrong if you work to make things right
If you can give me that one little phrase I've wanted to hear for eight years
Or maybe only one year
Depending on who you are

Tell me you're Sorry
For stepping on me
For taking out your ignorance on me
For talking about things you know nothing about
For hating me
And never trying to meet me
For always declining my humanity

Well, no longer
Will I ignore this
Will I let other people be my sole defense
Will I let other people protect me from you
Will I say nothing

I will still
Work with what I have and make my picture that much more beautiful
Meet new people because they will say something
Let my friends get to defend me, if they want to
Be civil

But Now
I will say something
I will
SHOUT
I WILL
Be heard

Don't call me rude things
And Things I'm not

My name is Arianne Bergman
I am a lesbian
And I won't ever hide it again just because you don't understand yet

I am a lesbian
But I am also
A writer
A singer
A dancer
An actor
A fencer

A lover
A friend
A daughter
A granddaughter
A sister
A niece
A student

A shoulder who is leaned upon for support

A person with passion
A person
Human
Treat me like it.
Please.