"In the Mind of a Yung Heart"

As I was returning some books to the book room, this two page poem fell out...There's no name on it--although, the phrase "fictional poem" is written in the margins--I have no idea which student wrote it, which book it fell out of, or to whom its ideas belong. But it exists.

"In the Mind of a Yung Heart"

you don't know me
you don't know my status
my triumphs
my struggles
you don't even know my name
and yet
you sit there in all of your glorious
old age
& you judge me.
observing my posture
the clothes i wear
the people i hang out with
and hang on to very piece of
gossip about me that can possibly
be said
for that simple reason
you look so stupid
knowing nothing of my past, my
present, or my future
you couldn't possibly know until
you've walked
one million miles in my tattered
sneakers.
My young eyes have seen
a lot
& my heart feels just as much as
yours
I've had to watch my best
friend fall into a black hole of
peer pressure
that turned her all the way out
trickin' & sippin', gamblin' & sniffin'
I've been 2 more funerals than
I ever wanted to be at
& my heart has known heartache
And they're old friends
You don't know the abuse
Yes, my mother allowed that
monster to put his hands on me
for his personal pleasure & rage.
You don't feel my pain
You really don't
See I have dreams
BIG dreams
I could make the world a
better place
make a great difference in an
important person's life
I could be the next billionaire
But here I stand in raggedy clothes
these hand-me-downs
With a pretty face
& young age
Walkin' down pissy-pew hallways
So I must be something bad to
talk about.
From the depth of my soul
to the tip of my toes
I am me
always will be
And you
Miss Full-of-wisdom
Miss Wise-at-42
You will be you
But you will never understand
My young'n blues.