I understand that I am part of a system.

A winding, long, twisting system,

Filled with loop holes of all kinds.

I am summarized by 2 little numbers,

And a combination of 5 letters,

Which somehow explain my life to college professors and future collegues.

I have learned to use loop holes to my advantage,

Scrounging up as much praise as I can get

For my formulas and essays.

But who am I?

I am not just an honor student, though the papers say I am.

I am not just a GPA, summed up into two digits.

I am a human, with thoughts and aspriations.

I have been presented with a guidebook on how to get by,

Not how to use my thoughts to bring good to the world,

Not how to brighten my life and become a visionary.

Thank God I've learned how to simplify logarithms,

And I can calculate vectors, I think,

As my hands fumble over my job applications.

So let me express my thoughts.

Do not hold human nature for wanting to shout out,

Don't forget I learned in biology I have animal desires.

Because I am not just a letter grade.

I am a voice, a message, yearning to cross ears of thousands,

Yet I am left alone to examine the wood grains of my jail cell.