CERTIFIED

CERTIFIED

I stood in line for hours
Finally, at the front
A short, overweight white man
Food stains on his shirt
Dirty fingernails and crooked teeth
Cleared his throat and scowled
Give me your card he barked
What card I asked him?
Your enrollment card he barked
I don’t have any card
Did you lose it he barked?
I never had one I said
Why don’t you have one he barked?
I didn’t know I needed one
How am I supposed to know you’re an Indian?
Just like I do I said
Every morning when I get up
I brush my teeth
Wash my face
There’s that same Indian
Staring back at me in the mirror
He told me I don’t need any card
You gotta have a card he barked
Where is your card I asked?
What card he barked?
Your enrollment card
I don’t have a card
Did you lose it I asked?
I never had one he barked
Why don’t you have one I asked?
I didn’t know I needed one
How am I supposed to know you are a white man?
Look at me he barked
You can see I’m a white man.
I don’t need a card
I need a card because I am an Indian?
Yes, he barked.
Without a card I am not an Indian?
Officially no, he barked
So, who am I then?
If I have no card to prove my Indianness,
Can I be a white man like you?
No he barked
Why not I asked?
Because you are an Indian he barked