You do not understand.

I try to come here, this institution of "education".

I want to learn.

I ache to learn.

Staying out past curfew

Twiddling my two thumbs

to fucking think of a clue.

A clue?

A clue.

What clue?

You pay no mind to me

no mind to us.

Busy work.

Lazy work.

Hard work.

Us latchkey kids,

we come here in the hopes

the hopes that SOMEONE will listen.

I call,

but I do not hear you call back.

I go to house, not a home.

No one is there but the whispers of my grandfather

the ghosts in the walls

the voices I've heard all day.

They told me I was nothing.

They told me I wasn't special.

They told me all you'll ever be is the latchkey kid without a home.

They care about your numbers

what you do or do not have

and how much you have.

They're telling me all these quotes

from authors I either care or do not care about

from politicians I resent

from these text books that are outdated.

My faith for this place is outdated.

I don't care what you're telling me.

I care to tell you that I am a latchkey kid.

I have no one at home.

No one ever told me I'd be 

a writer

a lover

a lawyer 

a doctor.

They told me all you'll ever be is a sinner.

I'm telling you now I am a latchkey kid.

I don't need anyone else believing in me but you.

My library books are over due

no one has told me

no mother 

no father

no teacher 

no librarian.

I am a latchkey kid.

I look out for myself

I have for the past sixteen years.

All I'm asking is fore you to believe in me

just this once.