I have buried you.
I told you that many times.
However,
You keep yelling at me,
At my not standard spoken-English.

You already know clearly
I am a new immigrant, staying in the U.S. for a short time—only a year.
English is not my first language,
I was not born here,
And I am an ELD student.

You may not know me much.
When it is 11 PM
I still continue doing my homework though it is easy for you.
I keep practicing the standard American English.
I try to speak English fluently,
And I hope I can be a real American in five years, while you are laughing.
I feel uncomfortable, like a hopeless baby bird studying flying.
I feel so sad, cause although I work hard,
I won't be angry with you because I know I am a small immigrant.


Xue Sun, International Studies Academy, San Francisco, from Solid Ground (WritersCorps)