Poem
Ali Cobby Eckermann
Grade One Primary
Grade One Primary
Grade One Primary
I’m sitting up the tree todayAnd I’m NOT getting down!
I don’t feel safe at school no more
Just ’cos my skin is brown.
If I sit here overnight
Will I turn into a bird?
So I can fly away from here
And all the nasty words
’Cos it’s no fun being different
Where do I fit in?
Some kids at school are nasty
And their words have such a sting.
You half caste dog, you coon, you boong,
You stinking bloody abo,
I don’t know what these words mean –
I know they hurt me like an arrow.
I asked my teacher to explain
And she just slapped me hard
And then when it was lunchtime
I was pushed over in the yard.
So now I’m sitting up the tree
I’ll hide from everyone.
I don’t understand this place –
I’m only in Grade One.
© 2011, Ali Cobby Eckermann
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Poems
Poems of Ali Cobby Eckermann
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Grade One Primary
I’m sitting up the tree todayAnd I’m NOT getting down!
I don’t feel safe at school no more
Just ’cos my skin is brown.
If I sit here overnight
Will I turn into a bird?
So I can fly away from here
And all the nasty words
’Cos it’s no fun being different
Where do I fit in?
Some kids at school are nasty
And their words have such a sting.
You half caste dog, you coon, you boong,
You stinking bloody abo,
I don’t know what these words mean –
I know they hurt me like an arrow.
I asked my teacher to explain
And she just slapped me hard
And then when it was lunchtime
I was pushed over in the yard.
So now I’m sitting up the tree
I’ll hide from everyone.
I don’t understand this place –
I’m only in Grade One.
Grade One Primary
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