By Kelvin Escobar

Pioneer Charter School

A literary response to Countee Cullen’s poem “Heritage”

they are making fun of his skin

they made fun of his heritage and traditions

they were accusing them of stuff they didn’t do all because of their color

i felt sad for them because they were treated bad

i felt bad because i was Hispanic like him

i felt sad because i was called those things

i felt worthless for the words they called me and i couldn’t do anything

i saw people laughing and not help

i saw people crying of laughter and others for names

i saw them screaming us names

i heard the laughter

i heard the people crying

i heard the screams of racist

i tasted the salt of my tears

i tasted the pain to be called that