Before President Obama
I gather in your colour, the
shape of your skin
the way your eyes downcast a
future in this land
and I am ashamed, knowing my
whiteness shines brighter.
**
After President Obama
Colour your face with
a new shade, ingested with pride
no longer at the back of
the bus
no KKK, but Martin Luther’s
impossible dream
once tainted, a new beginning
slow shuffles to new heights --
mountains and overcoming.
© Richard L. Provencher
Website: www.wsprog.com/rp/
Comments
Nathan Bednarek | September 13, 2009 - 20:17
I love the way you structured this poem. A very enjoyable read. Well done.
Nathan.
Richard L. Prov... | September 13, 2009 - 20:35
Thank you so much, Nathan. It was very interesting how the thoughts came up. It helps to have friends from every race and colour, then one can get a proper perspective on life, through their eyes and heart. Sometimes it is too tense to fully reveal their innermost thoughts. My brother and I were conversing with his Irish bride-to-be and her family one day and we were discussing the IRA situation back when. And Lydia's two young brothers, aged ten and twelve wanted to grow up and return to Ireland as IRA recruits and kill "Brits." I was horrified at the degree of hate in these young men and the attitude of their family. They had only been in Canada for a year, at the time. Thankfully, they remained in Canada, became excellent citizens and are doing quite well in businesses of their own. I try not to write the whole truth about folks, since people change and could be quite ashamed of how they felt in the past. I want my writing to be meaningful, and lacking the nasty flavour. I leave the nasties to Mickey Spillane. Cheers, as my wife and I will be leaving for our daughter's small ranch in Alberta tomorrow. Will be gone two weeks. Good writing. RLP