Ridiculed, Oppressed

When you raised your voice in urgency
I saw a black man
Being told what to do
Being told his place

When you laughed in frustration
I saw my immigrant mother
Surrounded by a foreign tongue
Barraged by language, not her own
Barraged by compassionless judgement

When you sneered on in silence
I saw myself
Surrounded by cultural norms, all unknown
Belittled for not understanding
Belittled for not catching up