the tone The bell rings. downward. Everyone stands. I stand. My new teacher tilts her head back, They line up; fakes so do I. an even sadder laugh. Down a hall. September 2 Turn left. Morning Take a tray. Receive food. Sit. On one side Rainbow of the bright, noisy room, light skin. I face the class. Other side, MiSSS SScott speaks. dark skin. Each classmate says something. Both laughing, chewing, I understand, don’t as if it never occurred but I see. to them Fire hair on skin dotted with spots. someone medium Fuzzy dark hair on skin shiny as would show up. lacquer. I know where to sit don’t Hair the color of root on milky skin. any more than Lots of braids on milk chocolate. I know how to eat White hair on a pink boy. the pink sausage Honey hair with orange ribbons on snuggled inside bread skin. shaped like a corncob, Hair with barrettes in all colors on smeared with sauces bronze bread. yellow and red. the only I’m I think straight black hair they are making fun on olive skin. of the Vietnamese flag September 2 until I remember Midmorning no one here likely knows that flag’s colors. Black and White and Yellow and Red
the tone downward. My new teacher tilts her head back, fakes an even sadder laugh. September 2 Morning Rainbow I face the class. MiSSS SScott speaks. Each classmate says something. I don’t understand, but I see. Fire hair on skin dotted with spots. Fuzzy dark hair on skin shiny as lacquer. Hair the color of root on milky skin. Lots of braids on milk chocolate. White hair on a pink boy. Honey hair with orange ribbons on skin. Hair with barrettes in all colors on bronze bread. I’m the only straight black hair on olive skin. September 2 Midmorning Black and White and Yellow and Red The bell rings. Everyone stands. I stand. They line up; so do I. Down a hall. Turn left. Take a tray. Receive food. Sit. On one side of the bright, noisy room, light skin. Other side, dark skin. Both laughing, chewing, as if it never occurred to them someone medium would show up. I don’t know where to sit any more than I know how to eat the pink sausage snuggled inside bread shaped like a corncob, smeared with sauces yellow and red. I think they are making fun of the Vietnamese flag until I remember no one here likely knows that flag’s colors.
First-Day-Text-Set-1.docx