Midnight Train Poem by Petra Maria

Midnight train

The subway station seemed empty, no passengers. It's winter time and Christmas Eve. I start to walk
Slowly. Moving towards the lady selling train
Tickets. She looks at me
Up and down. She talks to me in a
Rude tone. Then cold was the way I answered her, I felt
Powerful. The cold breeze of winter time hits my week
Body. I could see the joy in the lady's eyes, her evil laugh coming out as she opened her dirty
Mouth. And the wind blows again. I remained in silence
No reactions. I hear a voice coming from my left side it's
The guard. ' Are you buying tickets for the midnight train child? '
I was about to answer him, I turned around and tried to swallow my saliva and move my dry lips. That dirty mouth opens again - 'I don't think that you have the money to buy a train ticket... No offense! '
I had not misheard, It was enough. I felt like her words went through my chest and broke my heart into
Pieces. I remained in silence.
The guard asks me again ' Are you buying any tickets'
Finally I answer him' Yes but...how much is it? '
'It's one dollar and fifty cents '. I turned around and looked into her eyes and I,
Said 'That's cheap, one please'. Her face was red, I hope she's not having a heart attack right now! Not in front of me.
We both knew what was going on,
I felt some sort of connection between
Us. Was the lady feeling the same. I don't think so. The way she barely looked at me
Shocking. Her red face and all the hate
Weird. We knew what was going on!
Hard to think of, hard to say, hard to imagine.
I am a black girl trying to buy a train ticket to go home.
I'm late! My family
Waits for me. My friends.
I don't understand what is wrong about me!
My clothes, my hair, my body, my face. I don't get it?
This lady is insane! God help her.
Well doesn't matter, my mom told me 'Be nice to the weird'. No she didn't... I'll be myself!
The train is finally here I bought my ticket and
Off we go!
On my way home.
I was trying to figure why was the lady being so mean to me! She was white, tall, brown eyes and she looked good. Apart from our color we looked the same.
By the time I got home I realized that it wasn't because of my face, hair or what I was wearing.
It's my race my skin color!
Evil. That was so evil! I'm confused, first of all
I THOUGHT WE WERE HUMAN BEINGS!