Influenced By Europeans

As An American I can say, I've been influenced by Europeans. I grew up with Jews and Italians, Most of my young life. My high school had a mixture, Of Russians, Portuguese, French And Spaniards. Who would find me humorous... When the teacher saw my hand raised, To sometimes ignore. Until I made outbursts. Expecting from her more. I took two years of French. And had friends of several races. Then one day all of that was changed. When the city I now live in... Became a place for bigoted racists. Oh there may be many who will try to deny what I say. But when I was a child, Where I live wasn't divided as it is today. With waves of bused in suburbanites... Coming to work during the day. To leave their jobs for an urban flight! When I was a child, Not much of that was in sight! The first time I heard the word 'nigger' Was from a Black music teacher, Who wanted to impress. Reminding us of how she felt. And made sure to us that was addressed. Oh yes! As An American I can say, I've been influenced by Europeans. I grew up with Jews and Italians, Most of my young life. My high school had a mixture, Of Russians, Portuguese, French And Spaniards. Who would find me humorous... When the teacher saw my hand raised, To sometimes ignore. Until I made outbursts. Expecting from her more. And I was not hushed, Until I got it! Dedicated: To those friends I remember from Northeast Junior High School and Hartford Public High School. Just a 'few' years ago. Or, more appropriately, decades that seemed to have flown away. ~LSP~