DONT FORGET TO CODE SWITCH

DON’T FORGET TO CODE SWITCH

POETRY Chanice Cruz

When you’re in school because then you’ll be performing that New York accent say the word “dog” “water”

and you’ll say, “i’m not cha fuckin’ dog” and they all burst into applause, and you left mad confused. “Brooklyn”

When you’re in New York make sure you pick up your accent at your wela’s house where everything is safe, When you’re at your wela’s house you better roll them “r’s” cause you not no gringa, where there is no separation of ethnicity and race

code switch so visceral,

like it sits between the layers of skin and cells, and the code switch legs twitch on your muscles so there’s so many versions of you, don’t recognize your voice anymore, like you don’t know who’s the real you, don’t ever find out who the real you is or she’ll burst from the cage you have locked her in, you don’t need her anymore make sure to remember your lines.