The news article said
wear Nike, Adidas, Puma
or you’re not cool
I couldn’t afford any of those

They laughed at
my shoes
my teeth
my hair
my face
I could never look right

They cornered me
behind the dugout
five to one
I couldn’t do what they expected

They cornered me
along the fencing
four to one
and laughed at
my shoes
my teeth
my hair
my face

They sat next to me
said
I would never be enough

They cornered me
on the baseball diamond
on the soccer pitch
in the classroom
in the halls
at work

they still laugh at
me
my clothes
my writing

it never stops
and the words
slowly kill me