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Sit with ME
Gano WilliamsBest of Poetry

I see you look at the seat next to me
But choose the one next to It
Our eyes meet
Do I Scare You?

I dress like You hoping to assimilate
Into the systematic racism my University inherently facilitates

The anxiety caused by the Microaggressions
Blocks the learning curve towards my profession
We too wish, to educate ourselves
But we are forced to hide and to flee

2018

Fucked up it’s still a crime to be Me
So they ask me to cut my hair
Told my grandmother she couldn’t go there

My daughter unaware of her beauty
Blending her makeup
But nothing needs to be made up with Fenty Beauty’s diversity

“Does this university have any love for We?”

Conquered our own lands, taken from Motherlands, forced to learn the 
ways of your land
Wishing for your forefathers’ Acceptance 
But you just call us a Negro, hoping to break our Egos

“All Lives Matter”

Here we go,
But our president protects Neos and I’m just trying to make it to my pro-
bate
Three out of Ten,
Probably won’t ever happen but still hoping I graduate

“It was forever ago, get over it”

We were hunted now we’re haunted



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Sit with ME

- 72 -

By the student loans we cannot pay
Everyday it’s a struggle to find each other

It’s predominantly white but I’m surrounded by black, darkness
Comes with depression
Predominantly White so I say it again
Darkness, comes with Depression so I say it again

I See You look at the seat next to me
Choose the one next to me
Our eyes meet

“Hello”

Do I scare you?