You think you know, but you have no idea

Being a rimajol with lighter colored skin

Having your whole family speak marshallese

and      making    you    speak    it    but

Making fun of your accent, your tone, your mistakes.

Making you feel even less of your own culture

Making  you scared to try it again, to be made fun of

You think you understand but you can’t

You haven’t seen the eyes locked on you,

While walking through Ebeye or Majuro

The whispers you hear under peoples breath,

Ripelle, Ripelle

                           Lale Ripelle e

Making you question what you’ve learned

Destroying the love you had for your home.

Taking the last bit of confidence in you.

Psychologists say the time to learn and truly understand a language is when you are young.

But    you   aren’t   young   anymore

The time frame has passed, you have to accept it

But how do you accept those who stripped it away from you

You then start to despise those who taught you.

But deep down you know it isn’t their fault.

Be    grateful    that you can speak some, understand more

That you are surrounded by a wonderful welcoming culture

That you are at least half, but there is no in between.