Reinforced
Trying to be
Someone he’s not.
They told him
How he should be.
Many people
Proffered unhelpful advice.
Do this
To fit in.
We’ll like you
If you conform.
Reinforced by
Lack of insight.
Supposed
Maudlin longings for
An idyllic past
When things were better
And everyone got along.
No need to worry about
Those other people
Who aren’t part of
The in group.
It’s always been this way,
Some people make it,
Some don’t, the way
It’s supposed to be.
How to Educate Our Kids
How to educate our kids:
Woefully underfund
Public schools,
Because we don’t want
To pay taxes,
Then shake our heads
Disingenuously when
They fail and propose
Some half-baked measure
That siphons money away to
Unaccountable private companies,
Or, better yet, encourage
People to use vouchers
To enroll in private or
Sectarian institutions then
Declare emphatically that
We’re doing everything
We can to fix things…
Except properly
Funding the schools.
Comprehension
Questions asked
By people certain
That something is wrong,
Unwilling to acknowledge
Predicaments resulting from a
Lack of comprehension.
All they need to
Remedy the situation
Is an openness to
Additional information yet
They’ll likely never
Alter their approach,
It being much easier to
Assert confidence rather
Than admit ignorance.
Us versus Them
Two pictures side by side,
One of a beaming symbol of
Institutionalized power and
Subjugation, the other of
A hapless victim of circumstance.
A system set up to favor
Certain people, regardless of
Their actual merit, able to
Do anything they want to anyone
Who doesn’t bow to them.
Us versus them,
Keep them out of our neighborhoods,
Away from our wives and children,
Safely rounded up in their
Crumbling tenements.
Nobody Else
There is a moment when,
Under extreme duress,
His resilience leaves him,
Heart stops feeling,
Loses his humanity,
Is no longer able to
Relate to other beings with
Empathy and compassion.
The remainder of his journey
Is consumed by rage and
A compulsion to make sure
Nobody else enjoys life.
Doing Good
He sees himself
As doing good.
Other people
Don’t see it that way.
They experience
Tangible negative effects.
Measuring behavior
Is easy.
Look at who
Benefits or not.
Words don’t matter,
Actions do.
He fancies himself
Righteous.
Racism
Racism.
The room grows quiet, then defensive, then hostile.
Immaturely unable to face the truth,
Reflect on wrongdoings,
Consider truth and reconciliation.
No change occurs
Without admitting past violations.
Last Conversation
I’m sure our
Last conversation
Had a far different
Effect on you than
It did on me.
That was always the
Way things transpired,
Me assaulted,
You oblivious,
Mandatory discomfort.
I don’t expect you’ll
Ever grow a heart,
Not for me,
Or anyone else,
Including you.