the immigrant

The first day of school in Elliott Lake, Canada

I sit quietly hands folded on my wooden desk

listening to words

I don’t understand

I try hard

I am the new girl in the class

from another country

I watch what the girl next to me is doing

I copy

I try hard

I look around

the bell rings

we go outside

it’s recess

I follow

alone

I smile

try hard

to play

I am wearing a handmade dress

gray woolen jumper with red pleats

carefully stitched and pressed

I look at the other girls clothes

they are not like mine

I look down

I hate my dress

the other girls

blond fair and tall

my small dark self shrinks

12

into the back of the playground

I try hard

on this first day of school

watch wait imitate

never ask

pretend I understand

sit quietly

hands folded on the wooden desk

and smile