They didn’t know

    there was a reason he couldn’t read

    or figure out the answers for math

    so they whispered behind his back

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason she was slow

    or unable to understand

    so they giggled when she was confused

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason he hated to share his feelings

    or kept to himself

    so they made jokes about him

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason she sat in the back of the classroom

    or never raised her hand

    so they didn’t think twice about her

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason he fought so easily with others

    or told them he would get them back

    so they kept egging him on

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason she always looked upset

    or refused to smile

    so they thought she was weird 

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason he read those magazines

    or pretended he was a soldier at recess, shooting people with          imaginary guns

    so they pointed and mocked his childish play

    They didn’t know

    there was a reason they drew maps of the school

    or started laughing with each other a week ago

    so they kept on walking past them

   
   They didn’t know

   there was a reason I brought an extra bag to school

   or didn’t show up for homeroom

   so they thought I was harmless

   They didn’t know

   they could have asked

   smiled

   or said hello

  They didn’t know

  behind the blank eyes

  and the bored expression

  What he was capable of.

  What she was capable of.

  What they were capable of.

  What I was capable of.

  What we are capable of.

   They didn’t know

   the joke was on them

   because we are the star of our own show

   But they didn’t know.

   Or did they?