Challenge Me

By Troysean Wilson

(10th Grade Student from New Leadership Charter School)

Now I feel the times changing the world's rearranging, hormones raging

But me I hate the playin all those games are not for me

Just sit me in front of a mic and I’ll amaze you continually

Amazed by my ability to speak intellectually

And to think analytically

I got the best of both worlds. I can even debate politically

On topics that they would call too big for me

That’s wrong

Cuz obviously they don’t understand the density of my brain capacity

And the wisdom of GOD

I speak with precision about politics, economics and religion

Stereotypes try to put me in a box but I’ll make my own decision

I soar like birds while the norm flocks in the same area like pigeons

How do you know what’s there if you don’t expand your horizon

Times lying I'm tired of seeing my people cryin

Society still at its old tricks givin minimum wages to older people and

Forget about the kids

Just cuz they think I’m young and can’t manage things

If you’re young it’s like a candy stand

If you don’t have money they hand you sample dreams

That’s why as a stereotyped adolescent I learned to challenge everything that doesn’t challenge me

School’s teachers just learning the tenth grade curriculum at thirty-six through textbooks

Because I study the holes of this system so I know the arithmetic

I ask the teacher about it just to test it

And they break down like I don’t really know this

See I shouldn’t have to go through this but

I must make the best of a bad situation

If teachers don’t learn

They can’t teach

So society needs to stop the manipulation

The desolation and rehabilitation that we go through

Then when we get to college that’s where standards are challenged

And that’s only if you can afford it

So as a young stereotyped adolescent

I’ve learned to challenge everything that doesn’t challenge me

And in this day in time its society, and most things

But in reality I can express myself and challenge everyone and everything

Through this new found but legendary weapon I found called

Poetry.