if you once ever
stopped for a
second
in the middle of
your hurt
feeling quite
misunderstood
and wronged
and oppressed
even
and had such dark
thoughts
of being hated
despised
looked on as
ignorant
stupid
hopelessly
incorrigible
dirty
you felt like no
one wanted to touch you
smell you
everyone wished
you had not been born
nor any of
your ilk
and you began to think to yourself
I am beginning to
think
I understand
what it must be
like
to hear the n word
shot in my
direction
like a flaming
poisoned arrow
straight at my
heart
and smash into
smithereens my s e n s e
of m e
and then
you sat up
relaxed
and felt proud of yourself
for having
succeeded
in finally o
p e n
i n g
your mind
you smiled
went to bed
went to sleep
and f o
r g o
t . . .
until I just now reminded you of your moment of righteous
realization that you are now fully
o p
e n -
m i n
d e d
go back to sleep
for you are not open-minded
when you wake up
still without a clue
come back here
I will kiss you on both cheeks
and s
t i l
l this will not wake you up
when you do wake
you will not rest
if you did know
you could not sleep
while I cry
you.
will.
not.
sleep.
w
h
i
l
e
I
c
c
r
y
y
