one guy above

I only learned to write when I got drunk

Only learned to love when I got lonely

found my way around the ropes when I was foreign

Telling all about my people in the city

never will they understand my struggle

always will they overattribute the blame

never will they overestimate my anger

And they never really care unless you’re dying

your bones were meant to boil a soup

Ramen, the kids love it too

And their teacher is a white woman

but their dad is Eritrean

and the food is good

and it’s very healthy

but it’s very pricey

so they can’t afford it

and you think about it

should I have children?

I’ve seen a lot

I’ve cleaned a lot

My parents had me, now they don’t dream a lot

I reconcile the hardship of the father 

with the sadness of the son, 

sacrificing everything 

for just one guy above.