Remembering Manny my old friend
On National Friendship Day
A boy from long ago and far away
Whose memory will always stay
He wasn’t big and wasn’t strong
But stood tall when bullies called
Daring them to come and fight
Him on the left, me on the right
Why do kids hate me? I asked Dad
It’s the war son, that makes them bad
It wasn’t that, I came to know
Because they always let Manny go
His family was Italian
So he was white and he was in
And I wasn’t, they let me know
“Go back to China!”—I was their foe
I learned early that race is real
All alone, it made me feel
Needing a friend whose hand to hold
Together we were so bold
A friend doesn’t break and run
He stays with you through thick and thin
He lets you know he’s got your back
His spirit lifts you to face the attack