The American Dream 
Grass roots, built from the bottom up
But the dream is different for a woman
Who opens doors even when glued shut 

Maybe a white man has it easier 
Power, privilege, and wealth
Yet perspective can change a lot 
Feeling a loss one should have never felt
Shouldn’t she, a white woman have it easier? 
40 years and a stable family 
But many parts of life can be a facade
Calculating the real hardships and injustice carefully 

There is undeniable privilege 
But also undeniable disadvantage 
Because her undeniable womanhood 
Put her through undeniable antics

This dream can differ 
Experience leads to ideals 
Many are grand but some humble 
To move forward only she could push the wheels 

Inclusion, difficult to grasp 
People still find reason to oppose 
There is a lack of thought in 
People’s lives are often not the ones they chose 

It was her dream for change 
No matter the scale or cost 
It was her dream for empathy 
Since she had no choice but to move on from the loss 

I used to the think the dream was cosmic 
Unattainable, without even knowing its form 
Without even knowing my dream 
I already knew I was torn 

Expected to be better than who came before 
If not, you’re a failure and you fall
But how can anyone find happiness 
In a dream that’s made to be one size fits all 

What she pulled from life 
Are what mattered in the small affairs
Because the big comprises of small 
Through the doubts if anyone even cares

The American Dream isn’t a sham
Because it is already in her capability 
It is just disguised as larger than life
To protect the privileged person’s fragility 

A is…

  • 41 Years-Old
  • Female, Cisgender
  • White
  • Roman Catholic
  • Upper Middle Class
  • Heterosexual
The Small Affairs (A Poem)