There was once a time
Where I didn't like the brown in my eyes
I wanted blue ones
Like those of my friends

I remember how I hated my curly dark locks
I wanted straight blond maybe light brown or so I thought
Cause I wanted to be like my friends
Cause I just wanted to fit in

Growing up in the pacific northwest
I hated the fact I was of Mexican/Chilean descent
I remember once my best friend said
"Of all people……I hate Mexicans"

And I said nothing and did
Nothing….
Maybe that's why we aren't
Friends anymore

I remember being told
"you're too tall to be Mexican"
"you're too light to be Mexican"
"you don't even have an accent"

And I look at my father
He's 6 foot….and his brother 6'3
And He said to me
"all the men in our family are tall"

"See we're not all short and darker skin
some of us are tall and with a lighter mix

I've been labeled everything from every land
From Italian, Greek, Spanish, Jew, even Persian
Shit even Hawaiian.
But hardly Mexican or Chilean

And never just a man

Am I to you what you want me to be?
Does my race matter to you?
Do you need that identity?
Aren't we all from the same seed of Adam and Eve?

The human gene

I been to many cities across this great nation
And I see we still live in the mindset of segregation
I don't think we've even come close to our
………. greatness

There once was a time ……
But that time has ended for me
I'm proud of who I am
Just free to be me

R.Arriagada
2008