Not So Dominican

by Yakari Gabriel   Dec 5, 2012


"I thought you were Arubian"
she said

and it had me thinking,
that even I think of myself
as Arubian sometimes, I have
forgotten all about my roots.

they strangled the Dominican
out of me,
you can't tell I am Domincan when
I speak, bloody island, sucked
my own country out of me,
took my pride, and said
my country was worthless
infront of me, cleared my accent
from the corners of my tongue
and made an island girl out of me

money hungry latinas, with their curls
and their curves, breaking our families
taking our men, who do they think they are?

I'm sorry I've done everything,
to fit in.
I'm sorry but I don't even like your men,
I think most of them are dull and lack culture

I've learned your language
and sometimes I even write it better than
you, Arubian.

I was never a fan of segration,
so I integrated as best as I possibly
could, became a fan of "funchi" and "pisca
hasa" and "pan bati"for you, along with you

sing your anthem with as much
joy as you, and it is no hypocrisy.

I never meant to take
anything from you,
its with you that I stand, on your
side.

only because, I came from the struggle,
only because I am aware of how good
I have it, and deep down, whenever
I hear insults, I kind of wish you
knew it too.

I want to think of you as home,
but as far as I know, home is somewhere
where there is no pain

always been a masochist though,
I know I'll probably stay here
even when it hurts me to the bone.

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Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by Decayed

    -double, im sorry-

  • 11 years ago

    by Decayed

    I loved it, too, so very much, that I wish you know Arabic, just to see that your poetry has some of Arabian soul in there. It's EPIC. EPIC.

    Write on.

  • 11 years ago

    by Liz

    I loved this so much, and felt it deep inside my heart. I feel like sometimes I've lost sight of my own culture. From the music, to the food, even the men :P. Even when my sister visits from back home, I feel we're so different. This poem hits home with me. I absolutely love it.

    -Liz

  • 11 years ago

    by Chelsey

    Wow...My thoughts are all over the place right now...I am reminded of myself and a few friends when I see this....sometimes life gets so crazy, we forget where we came from, we forgot how we were raised, we become disappointed in society that we just accept it and start fitting in..I've been there...I have friends that fit statistics...and its kind of sad.....I miss being proud of where I came from honestly, but things are getting so bad everywhere its hard to stay proud when you disagree with so much.

    I tell you what I love and what breaks my heart:

    I want to think of you as home,
    but as far as I know, home is somewhere
    where there is no pain

    ^^ That hit home for me.....I know EVERYONE sees me post things on facebook and on PnQ about wanting to move South and making that happen, but this is why I want to go...Exactly why. Too much pain around here and to go and start somewhere new where there is no pain and just freedom (for myself) is what I need for a while....

    always been a masochist though,
    I know I'll probably stay here
    even when it hurts me to the bone.

    ^ This is really a hard decision to make Yaki...You can still be proud of where you came from, you can change your ways and live how you were raised again, but if that place makes you incredibly unhappy, I dont think there is anything wrong with setting goals and reaching them and traveling elsewhere even if it brings you happiness for just a season....

    This was a really deep and passionate write. I loved it.

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