The Three Reasons

The White spoke.

The African American spoke.

The Mexican spoke.

But what did the Hmong say ?

My life during the Secret War I was always told

to hide in silence. Hide from who ?

Oh yes,from the communists. From the bullets that

were being shot to my back as I nearly drowned

crossing the Mekong River.  

Now in America, I'm still hiding in that silence.

Hiding from what ? oh yes, rejection and oppression.

Hiding from the other ethnic kids who mistakes me

for a "Chinese" and shoots me with "Ching Chong".

As I try to stand up for myself,

my English chokes me and puts me to shame.

I silent myself.

Why couldn't I tell them

properly that I was fully Hmong ?

oh yes,

the Hmong said to be quiet.