A State of Dire Distress

I never thought I was secretly wishing to be white;

I never realized my brainwashed biases of who deserved rights.

My intense longing to be different from myself;

Served as a distraction that put my potential on a shelf.

*

I thought I just wanted to belong,

But my rebellious spirit was far too strong.

The game of passing is a powerful shield,

But internally, it is much too heavy to wield.

*

Now that I have finally settled into my identity,

It’s clear how far away we are from being free.

This catastrophic time reversal is threatening to expand,

But with every loss comes an opportunity to take a stand.

*

The version of the Constitution that court decisions serve,

Is a cracked foundation we mustn’t continue to preserve.

It’s a basis for racist police brutality,

Defining it as a function of sworn return to slavery.

*

It promotes the lack of access to healthcare,

With disproportionate impact despite who sits in the SCOTUS chairs.

Even in the feminist movement of rights,

Inclusivity stops at straight cis women who are white.

*

As a veil of sadness and grief has covered the nation,

Many others have sprung into protesting action.

Meanwhile I can’t stop this uncontrollable flow of tears,

And visceral experience of the collective’s fears.

*

Even if a law or regulation is instated,

It’ll be another systematic prejudice that we are fated.

This glaring truth is consistently pushed aside;

Change will never occur until we agree to a rewrite.

*

I don’t know who this message will reach;

I guess I’m just practicing my freedom of speech.

Reform or not, citizens of this country we remain;

It’s my hope that someday we’ll have treatment that’s humane.

***

I’ve stayed relatively quiet about RvW and didn’t make my usual 4th of July social media posts. It took some time and tears to find the words for what I needed to express. I’m still not sure that this is it exactly, and I’m certain it’s not enough. I wish to spark a new movement that promotes true inclusivity through a revision of the Constitution. In the meantime, I will probably just continue to write down my big emotions and listen to the stories of others who need a non judgmental ear.

Thank you for taking the time to read and for any support gained from this writing. 💛🙏🏼