You would think that I

Would be broken because of

That look that's in your eye-

A judgmental look of scorn and scoff,

Silently screaming "you're bad"

And that "I will never like you."

But it doesn't make me sad,

Cause I know it doesn't make it true.

I know that I am good,

I'm good enough to threaten her.

Don't even think you could

Rub salt on my old delicate scar.

I know I come from a place

Where nobody speaks in English.

But I've got into this race

And I'll be fighting till the finish.

Don't judge me by the cover-

Don't think that I'm inferior to her.

Because I got here on my own-

I learnt this language all alone-

From my teachers, movies and books.

So you better get me off the hook.

I'm tired of having to drag.

I'm tired of my "wannabe" tag!

See, when I started I couldn't even

Pronounce the words, but I was driven

To perfect each article and preposition,

To write the best answer for each question.

I worked hard to pick up new words every day.

I'm proud that I've come such a long way.

You would think that I

Would feel so bad about myself

That I'd break down and cry.

Well, I'm not a girl to scream and yelp.

I can't be demoralized

By hateful judgmental people like you.

By now I have realized

That saying it doesn't make it true.

A/N: dedicated to the amazing person in my life who just made me believe in myself again and feel better :)