Showing posts with label bigotry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bigotry. Show all posts

Saturday, February 27, 2016

One Word

Just one word, one word - sharp and cutting.
Gut reaction.
Automatic visceral response.
Anger, fear, shame, confusion, bewilderment.
One word, domino effect, emotional draining flash back
...punch in the stomach, what the fuck not quite an epiphany
slow realization, an unwinding.
Slow with meaning.
A learning; knowledge filled shaping, the future bend.
Young girl unknown meaning, one word
A pattern - "…you wait outside…"
Sunny Saturday, waiting outside.
"…you can't come in, but we can play together, my father says you're a wop..."
"My father says you're like a nigger, like a monkey, we don't let animals in our house; except the cat and dog, but we can play together…"
Fifteen years later, I helped her elope.
She climbed out of her bedroom window, 
I waited down the street in my VW Bus.
We drove to the town hall and she married a man of color.

Just one word, one more word - sharp and cutting.
Gut reaction.
Automatic visceral response.
Anger, fear, shame, confusion, bewilderment.
One word, domino effect, emotional draining flash back
...punch in the stomach, what the fuck not quite an epiphany
slow realization, an unwinding.
Slow with meaning.
A learning; a knowledge filled shaping, a future bend.
Young girl unknown meaning, one word,
"…I like you, but my brother said I can't because you're a dago…"
A pattern - "…we can still like each other but no one can know…"
We walked past each other in the halls, middle school, high school.
Our eyes would meet, we would smile, but we both knew what we didn't know.
Ten years later, you became my lover.
We spent the summer together, we didn't talk about the past but it was there.
We both understood, we knew and we cried together.
I said goodbye to you in September,
and watched your motorcycle fade off into the sunset.

Just one word, one word - sharp and cutting.
Gut reaction.
Automatic visceral response.
Anger, fear, shame, confusion, bewilderment.
One word, domino effect, emotional draining flash back
...punch in the stomach, what the fuck not quite an epiphany
slow realization, an unwinding.
Slow with meaning.
A learning; knowledge filled shaping, the future bend.
Young girl unknown meaning, one word.
It only takes one word…

© 2016 TrilbyYates











Friday, June 26, 2015

I Am OK

Words in print 
words shouted 
from the left 
and right 
fearful 
we are falling in love 
with our own rectitude 
fearful 
we walk a fine line 
of  righteousness 
and never acknowledge 
the lapse of judgement 
or even the possibility
that we haven't got a real grasp 
on what is slipping 
between our fingers 
the experience 
the feeling of dread 
or grief 
the feeling 
that we don't 
have control 
that society is 
a loose cannon 
being set up 
and fired off 
by warriors 
from a different time 
a different mind-set 
a mentality driven 
by half daft demons 
that will set 
the world a blaze 
because they don't know 
anything else 
fear of the unknown 
fear of what they know 
they don't know 
and persecute beliefs 
that don't bend 
at their will 
or won't acknowledge 
the legitimacy 
of anger 
and rage 
the PC terms 
being thrown around 
like some deflated football 
regulation zero
high strung 
tempter tantrums 
at the end of the day 
it is what it is 
sugar coated 
dressed up or down 
educated or illiterate 
the common thread 
is the hate 
that is spread 
with a few choice 
words
you can call me 
dago, 
nigger, 
jew, 
spic, 
dahati, 
headbangers, 
faggot...etc
but the real truth is 
I am OK with who I am...I pose the question...are you?

© 2015 TrilbyYates 

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

The Ugly Truth My Beauty

Slightest turn of the other cheek
one side acknowledges the other
in the midst of tragedy
And as we parade into a house of worship
wearing our Sunday best,
sirens blare in the distance
A police presence is felt
and it is comforting at times
Different from the tender touch 
of a lovers hand leading the way 
to a safer place of ease,
a safer place to breathe
Yet protection of faith and pride
have become the newest 
of our human natural instinct;
autopilot kicking in as if innate
The strong protect
The weak are humbled
...and the Ugly Truth My Beauty is;
even those wearing a crown
embodiment of a hierarchy,
or those in a position of power
carry a gun protective shield,
can have a poisonous lethal bite
And as we submit to all we hold 
with the highest of regard,
all the traditions passed 
from one generation to the next
do not always stand the test of a truthful time
The flag can fly high fluttering in a summer's breeze,
and placating words may gently fall 
from the lips of bigots and racists in disguise
without questionable intent
The local media will snap the money shot;
front page news and sales begin to rise
But, in the shadows waiting patiently
for the show to come to a close,
a slow ride down a dirt road,
no stars and no stripes,
no sense of humility or praise,
the seeds of hatred will continue to grow...

© 2015 TrilbyYates