The Creenglish Side Of Freedom

Advisor’s conference held last fall
Found me amidst ten Yankees – all
Quite nice but topic – quite obsessed –
It seems with race they’re quite oppressed.

I let them think themselves quite right –
Race-profiled me as culture-white
Both black and white their riffs laid bare
With little light but much hot air.

I said, ‘I’m Cree, and think you guys
Both black and white are silly ‘cause
Your cultures both abhorrent are
To us who watched you come from far.

The liberal white gal said, ‘Again
I’ve been deceived by colored skin,
It once was better, black and white
Revealed which side we’re on by sight.’

I thought, ‘Yea, that’s why uniforms
Are mandatory in the swarms
Of soldiers in close combat fight
It clearly shows just who to knife.’

Though I’m not Cree or Englishman
But Creenglish-mix down to the stem
From both of them I freedom find
Both in my walk and in my mind.

My Creenglish culture limits has
So other cultures I can razz
And mock myself, my limits flaunt
As I on subject like to taunt.

If I was brown like race of Cree
They’d see me stereotypically
But first I let my culrute show
Before it’s lable let them know.

I did this all my life unknown
To me – and thus great stress was sown
But now, aware, I have such fun
Quite clear when to approach or run.

Disguises much better can’t be found
Than on third Culture’s minted ground.
Of interest now that race has dropped
By scholars – “ties to culture’s stopped”.

It takes a while for folks to see
What scholars say quite openly.
But in the meantime I’m so free
To play both sides so blatantly.

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