Shamu | Teen Ink

Shamu

June 3, 2016
By earthtoemily BRONZE, San Jose, California
earthtoemily BRONZE, San Jose, California
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

When I first heard you had called me Shamu

I excused myself from class

And went to the bathroom.

 

I looked in the mirror.

For the first time in a while

I didn't like what I saw.

 

That was twelve hours ago.

 

I stared at that reflection

At that stupid piece of glass

And saw a girl with blonde hair

A white girl, with dark grey skinny jeans

And a sweatshirt with an outdated TV show reference.

 

Why do people hate me? 

I wanted to scream.

Is it because I've never gotten an A

on my Algebra test

Or because I can't find

Just one person to love?

 

I didn't talk for the rest of the school day.

That was 6 hours ago.

 

No.

 

I don't care about

Your reasons to hate me

To talk about my ex

And comapre me to a whale.

 

I don't care about

How many hours you take from my youth

How many nights I have spent crying

Because people like you won't accept me,

No.

 

That was then, and this is now.

Because now,

Every time you try to push me down

Every time you make a fat joke,

A wh**e joke

Everytime you try to make me feel like

Less of the strong, beautiful woman I know I am

I will rise up-

Again and again-

No matter how many times you try and push me back down.

 

And you know what?

I think whales are pretty cool.


The author's comments:

 I was inspired to write this piece after I heard that a guy compared me to a Shamu, SeaWorld's most popular whale. Having already struggled with accepting my weight, this insult felt like a punch in the gut. As soon as I got home from school, I opened my journal and tore through this poem.

 This writing has taught me that the written word is a great way to cope with hurt and express your true feelings.


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