To Be Dothraki
teacher writes a diagram on the board and talks about how

there is animality and humanity
there is savage and society
there is dark and light
        I ask him to rephrase
There is black and white
        I ask him to rephrase

He insists there is no other way to say it.
There is no dichotomy that can explain the animal vs the human
besides black vs white
as if the human is not also an animal.
as if white people ain’t come from blackness

My family tells me to get a higher degree,
and that will separate the poor in me from the rich.
        I ask them to rephrase
that will separate the animal in me from the human
        I ask them to rephrase
that the degree will make me more society and less savage
        I ask them to rephrase
the page will mean something more with some stamps on it.
As if my writing will mean more, if there is a little more white in it.
A little more space for the other
        I ask them to rephrase.