A Sikh Girl in America

Unsaid: Our names
When will they look at my name?
And not treat me like I’m different,
But address me the same?
When will they make an effort,
Instead of push me to the side,
“I’ll never say it anyways,”
You never even tried.

Unsaid: Our history
When will my religion be in textbooks,
With more than a single line?
“Other ones get chapters,
When will my faith shine?”
Younger me had to explain herself,
Fifteen million times.

Unsaid: Our struggle
When will our pain be given any attention?
One of the largest protests in the world,
And barely a single mention.
Invisible to American press,
“We will be the words,
That they lacked; we’ll express.”

It will be said.
They will pronounce it right,
We won’t settle for being ignored,
We won’t give up in this fight,
To be seen, to be heard.
Our bloodshed and sacrifice,
And pages in books,
Our five centuries of history,
Will no longer be overlooked.