When the Emperor was Divine: a poem
You think your life is hard?
Take a walk in my shoes.
Rewind back to World War II.
Black hair
Yellow skin
Slanted eyes
11 years of age
Japanese little girl
We are to blame.
We are guilty.
WE are in the wrong.
We're dangerous
You better watch out.
If you hang with us,
You'll be accused too.
Accused for helping the Emperor
Blamed for Pearl Harbor
You may even visit the camps we did.
Bend down to look at a flower in the desert on the other side?
POW! You're dead.
Trust?
Haha that's out of the question.
The friends we had before won't even look us in the eyes.
But their parents are having no problems
using the things that were once ours.
You see that new vaccum your mom's using?
The Jap's around the block's.
That new box of tools your dad got?
The Jap's down the street's.
That beautiful new porcelian doll you just got?
Mine.
Brand new china, new jump rope, new everything?
My mom's, My brother's, OURS!
We lost our everything
when the Emperor attacked.
We were your neighbors, friends, school and work mates.
We were American!
Even spoke the language.
But my family history screams "She's a JAP!"
So everything of ours is ZAP!
Gone.
But we better follow the new rules.
Or we'll be sent back to a country that's done nothing good for us.
Called a Y.....b...y or a G..k in the hall?
Better keep your head down.
Another Jap bows; you shake their hand instead.
Only English is spoken.
Walk in groups no bigger than 3
Eat with no more than 5.
You know the answer in class?
Don't answer!
"Speak when spoken to."
"What do I want to be when I grow up?"
Officer. Designer.Firefighter.
American. YOU!
Give respect to everyone.
They don't deserve it?
Oh well. Suck it up and give it.
"Yes ma'am"
"No sir"
"Thank you!"
"You first"
"American's first."
"Don't worry about it. It was only 50 bucks. You can have it. I'll buy another when I can."
"Excuse me."
You look at someone too long?
say "Excuse me! Excuse me for coming back!
Excuse me for clinking, eating, drinking,
breathing, even existing.
"I'm so sorry!"
Brush by someone's arm?
"Sorry I touched you.
I didn't see it resting
so beautifully, looking so irrististibly angelic
on the groddy trash bin.
It won't happen again.
I promise, I SWEAR!"
"I'm sorry for existing and what my kind has done."
So when you think your life is at a DEAD END,
Think about where I've been.
The amount of trust I lost.
The life and respect I lost.
Think, young child,
Just think.
Signed a Young Japanese Girl during World War II.
Take a walk in my shoes.
Rewind back to World War II.
Black hair
Yellow skin
Slanted eyes
11 years of age
Japanese little girl
We are to blame.
We are guilty.
WE are in the wrong.
We're dangerous
You better watch out.
If you hang with us,
You'll be accused too.
Accused for helping the Emperor
Blamed for Pearl Harbor
You may even visit the camps we did.
Bend down to look at a flower in the desert on the other side?
POW! You're dead.
Trust?
Haha that's out of the question.
The friends we had before won't even look us in the eyes.
But their parents are having no problems
using the things that were once ours.
You see that new vaccum your mom's using?
The Jap's around the block's.
That new box of tools your dad got?
The Jap's down the street's.
That beautiful new porcelian doll you just got?
Mine.
Brand new china, new jump rope, new everything?
My mom's, My brother's, OURS!
We lost our everything
when the Emperor attacked.
We were your neighbors, friends, school and work mates.
We were American!
Even spoke the language.
But my family history screams "She's a JAP!"
So everything of ours is ZAP!
Gone.
But we better follow the new rules.
Or we'll be sent back to a country that's done nothing good for us.
Called a Y.....b...y or a G..k in the hall?
Better keep your head down.
Another Jap bows; you shake their hand instead.
Only English is spoken.
Walk in groups no bigger than 3
Eat with no more than 5.
You know the answer in class?
Don't answer!
"Speak when spoken to."
"What do I want to be when I grow up?"
Officer. Designer.Firefighter.
American. YOU!
Give respect to everyone.
They don't deserve it?
Oh well. Suck it up and give it.
"Yes ma'am"
"No sir"
"Thank you!"
"You first"
"American's first."
"Don't worry about it. It was only 50 bucks. You can have it. I'll buy another when I can."
"Excuse me."
You look at someone too long?
say "Excuse me! Excuse me for coming back!
Excuse me for clinking, eating, drinking,
breathing, even existing.
"I'm so sorry!"
Brush by someone's arm?
"Sorry I touched you.
I didn't see it resting
so beautifully, looking so irrististibly angelic
on the groddy trash bin.
It won't happen again.
I promise, I SWEAR!"
"I'm sorry for existing and what my kind has done."
So when you think your life is at a DEAD END,
Think about where I've been.
The amount of trust I lost.
The life and respect I lost.
Think, young child,
Just think.
Signed a Young Japanese Girl during World War II.