The Memory
Class, this is Johnny
Now be nice;
He has a speech –
Who can spell SPEECH for me?
– problem.
(Truge treetrogrom ackjoum stocktdoug
Jolt deustwist crochetroakakt
T-this is what it’s l-l-like to be me
They c-come and p-point at me
They j-j-just won’t let me be.
They l-l-laugh when I t-talk
So don’t talk. J-just w-walk.)
Oh no no Johnny,
Not to your seat,
Not so fast.
Can you tell us something
About yourself and why you
Switched schools?
(K-keep your head d-down.
Then you won’t h-have to l-l-look at them
And f-feel like a c-c-c-clown.)
Yes, Johhny?
We don’t have all day;
You can start now.
T-they used to l-laugh at me.
They j-just w-won’t let me be.
I don’t l-like to talk
B-because I stuh-stuh-stuh-stuh-stuh –
Well, class, it’s really not Johnny’s fault –
Who can spell FAULT for me?
– that he can’t talk properly.
(Don’t let’em see you c-c-cry
Mommy s-s-says b-boys don’t cry.)
Johnny, why are you crying?
Because, Miss, don’t you see?
Chockjets grozill rasligtree
Thrusikrout erritz hocksji
That was what it was like for me
Every word was an agony
I had to speak ever so slowly.
I felt for the words but the words never found me.
Copyright © Christy Chiang | Year Posted 2008
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