I’m your criminal
I’m your refugee
I’m everything you believe me to be
I’m not your demographic
I’m the blunt of your rhetoric
I’m your worst enemy
I’m your dreaded nationality
I’m your scapegoat
I’m your thief
I’m your oppressor
I’m your worst fear
I’m your anything
As long as I’m not human
No longer am I a hairdresser
No longer am I a shopkeeper
No longer am I a friend
No longer am I a brother
No longer am I a person
No longer can I be your equal
Because If I was on your level
Who would take the heat
Who would face the policies
Who would face the hate you propagate
to stay in power
to stay relevant
to stay meaningful to your anti-me’s
who are human
but not I
I’m not allowed to play
I’m not allowed to stay
I’m not allowed to see the light of day
I’m disavowed from your democracy
For your people, but not for me
Your bars repress my freedom
Your argue they save yours
your assumptions endanger my safety
You argue they assure yours
your preconceptions poison me
Yet they’re your holy elixir
your prejudice strangles society
Suppressing hope and equality
I’m your criminal
I’m your refugee
I’m everything you need me to be
As long as I’m not human