Dear, High School

"High School turned me into a Zombie.
Poetry turned me into a Monster..."

 

Dear High School,

I hate your stinking halls
That make me nauseous and want to vomit.

You’re a scum between my toes


Love the little rascal that could.

You see,

I remember the exact day that I enrolled at my High School


I was living in my grandma’s house
And my mom and pops didn’t have enough money yet
To move somewhere vacant.


I was excited as hell you see before I enrolled
My palms were sweaty

And My stomach was constantly aching

 

But as soon as the first month passed
I was sadly mistaken.

And before I knew it, my life was taken.

 

I constantly was drowning in homework

Being poisoned by state assessments
While being suffocated by essays
And being shot by due dates

Mi lapiz y papel se quemo

My pencil and paper burned

By my left brain

Cuz I’m out of my right mind

And I feel like I’m going insane.  

 

Like Ssshhhhh..

Watch your mouth.

 

You’re not allowed to complain

Or rebel or you get kicked out.


That’s one thing that I never liked about my own school.

 

You see…

If you don’t feel like things are right
You’re a problem child.

And are ostracized by the adults.

Sacrificed like livestock

Like some High School cult.

 

It’s never them its always you.

Like the letter after “T”

U.

Unsatisfactory

Urgent Care

Unexcused

I O U

You aren’t gonna last here.
You barely got in here.

You’re not smart enough to be here.


Crazy huh?

Subtle comments made

Cut deep into my epidermis

And cause nerve damage

On which is hard to manage

I’m constantly begging for food

Because at lunch I barely got a sandwich.

Like my portions are so low

And so disproportionate

“Oh you still hungry? Well that’s so unfortunate?

 

They like…

Do you have anything positive to say before you go

Mr. McClaine?
I say yeah…

But what's bigger always triumphs over what's so little
Even our enemies are our frenemies because

We endure the same pain.  

 

They like…

If you constantly complain

Why haven’t you made some sort of scenery change

 

I lift my chin up and exclaim

That this school has literally taken everything out of me --->
So even if I do leave I will never *censor beep* be the same.

 

So there’s no point.

 

But the funny thing is,
Is that Some kids think that they’re better
And some kids think that other kids think that they’re better

Something else…
Something hard to explain.

 

But in reality…

Compared to every other student

We’re the exact same.

 

Same block.

Same hoods.

Same barrios.

Same ghettos.

Same projects.

Same Jordans.
Same Polos.
Same Trues.

Same Barbers.

 

Same parties we getting shot at.

 

But everything is the student’s fault right.

 

So Dear High School

 

I mean High Anxiety
High Stress
High Depression

 

I may have known you for 4 years.

But you have never eva known me.

And if this conflict

Helps me to become “more successful” in life

Than let it be

It’s funny how I’ll be on my own in a few months

But still have to raise my hand to go pee

It’s comical how

there are more Metal Detectors

Than people

for me to talk to

about my problems

and go see

 

I lay here on my knees

Begging for you to check on me
Because I’m just another person on the list of High School bodies

That’s why when you see us walking around school.
It’s like watching a bunch of zombies.

 

I hope I’m not scrutinized

What if I told you
That you were the reason that I committed suicide

 

I hope that NOBODY.ELSE.DIES.

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My family
My community
My country
Our world
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

Comments

Emmanuel55

Really dug this poem, Mac. Such realness and honesty about expressing your disdain towards some of your high school experiences. 

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741