Tag: division

545. Social Division

You look down on those who think differently than you,

And judge and criticize them for being themselves too.

You say to them, “You better love me as I am!”,

And then turn around and say, “You’re wrong, and a sham!”.

Never recognizing the sham as you.

Part of being accepted is being accepting,

Of what you may feel is formidable and upsetting.

You don’t have to agree with everything others do,

But if you truly want freedom, you must grant it too;

For respect’s propagated by respecting.

You may tell me the sob story all humans have to tell.

You may tell me how you feel, and I will feel for you as well,

But don’t condemn me for not dying for you on your cross.

I’m not a God on earth, and have to carry my own cross,…

Along with my personal, all-consuming hell.

All pains are not equal, and life’s a tragedy.

So, why are we infighting? And why can’t we agree?

That life’s far too short, too difficult, and too cold,

To bicker endlessly as our bodies grow old.

You are not a social category.

I am you, and you are me…

The heart of humanity.

K. Aldaya, 6/10/21

Picture: By Yaniv Knobel on Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/photos/UvkIx6DMTMk

535. White Privilege

“Do you plead guilty for being skin-white?”,

The judge asked, pointing his gavel at me.

“We must rid the world of the hateful sight,

Of privilege and self-superiority”.

I pled, “I’m not guilty, your honor!”,

To the resounding of gasps, oohs, and ahhs.

“I’m not guilty any less…any more,

Nor have I broken any just moral laws.

I reject your claim that I’m a color.

I am human. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Of the same shade as our first ancestors.

Color only matters when used to oppress.

We are of the same fam’ly and species,

Though our troubled history is quite clear.

Evil has been done to everybody,

For we’re all susceptible to manipulation and fear.

Color and anything that’s “different”,

Is used to attain power and control.

Forging divides where they once were absent.

Oppressing far too many a human soul.

So I can not be guilty, your honor,

For I refuse to accept division.

My privilege is merely in living, sir.

I do not acknowledge this court’s position!”

“Sentence her!”…”Guilty!”, the court erupted;

As, “Order! Order!”, the judge shouted out.

“I see this trial has long been corrupted.”

“Not guilty”, the judge firmly declared. “Out! Out!”

And as I strode outside into the sun,

Someone in the crowd yelled, “Racist!”, and *BANG*

Another human oppressed by oppression.

And in the end: What is won? What is won?

As the lynched and I sang, yes, sang to the grave,

The power-mad laud that finally…

“Justice has been done!”

K. Aldaya, 4/28/21

Picture 1: By Volkan Olmez on Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/photos/wESKMSgZJDo

Picture 2: By Kamil Feczko on Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/photos/fd3BpI6NcMU