Discriminate
For Heather Hubler's Unscramble Challenge
Authors note: I originally published this with no explanatory note, after a conversation with my partner in which we both agreed that no one would think these were my views, it was sufficiently over the top for it to be evidently a caricatured collection of some of the "microaggressive" things that can be said by people of one race to those of another. And lets be clear, I had in mind a white man talking to a black man in a country in which white is the majority. I wrote this after a conversation I had at work about the idea of microaggressions, in which we thought about who they were micro for - for the speaker, each of these comments may feel "micro", for the receiver, maybe not. I chose some of these lines carefully and deliberately, most of them are things I have heard said. But I wanted to come back and make absolutely clear that this is not a poem representing my views. We thought I didn't need to, but perhaps its not actually so very over the top as a caricature. Perhaps its a little too close to the bone. Perhaps that I would assume otherwise is in itself an illustration of my privilege.
You’re alright mate, one of the nice ones,
Quiet as mice ones, don’t have to ask twice ones.
But you’ve got to admit, the same can’t be said,
Of all of your race. No, most of the time
Your brothers in crime are a stain on our culture.
Don’t get me wrong, I admire you personally,
And I’m not being mercenary but you people retain
A nastier mindset, and they say you can’t train
An old dog, to do new tricks.
Your man, for example, I’ve forgotten his name,
He spits so much acid, indicts all us good folk,
Cries racist, when what have I done?
That kind of tirade, it incites something bolder
And people like you, you stand at his shoulder,
On the streets of my nation, call for representation,
And trample my rights in the dirt.
Well I say it’s ungrateful, bitter and hateful,
And now I feel sold down the stream,
While you trade on the race card,
See yourselves as the vanguard,
Lay claim to having a dream.
Don’t stare at me coldly, don’t call me irate,
Don’t bundle me up in your “racist” crate,
All lives matter, so rein in your hate,
But I too once had a dream.
Now what was once mine is mired in others,
And the minister says I should call them brothers,
But I can’t see the likeness at all.
Present company, of course, is something quite different,
You’re not quite the same, you’ve manners, you’re tame,
No, no need to snigger, you’re better, you’re bigger,
No thief or gold digger, I’m no racist, I figure,
You’re a regular
Black man.
+++++++++++
Written for Heather Hubler's Unscramble Challenge, below:
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Comments (15)
That's really how they talk! You NAILED it. It reminded my of Money for Nothing, the way Knopfler used the words of some rando and wove them in. Those last few lines were insanely clever. That's how you don't use the n word.
Powerful stuff Hannah, and I like how all the words you’ve unscrambled from Discriminate fit in with the word itself as the poem goes. “ And the minister says I should call them brothers, But I can’t see the likeness at all.”- such an insidious idea. This was thought-provoking and well-constructed. For what it’s worth, it felt over-the-top enough for me to realise instantly that you weren’t projecting your own views, but writing from the perspective of someone else.
Blimey. This has prompted some discussion which I, for one, think is no bad thing. I have heard this attitude echoed many times. Uncomfortable reading and challenging.
I have read this, and I am on the fence about my feelings...I grew up in Jamaica where I never saw a white person in the flesh until I graduated high school. White folks visited our tourists areas but we were too poor to go on any holidays. Yet, tourists were treated as gods and catered to, no one hated them. When we lived in Texas, I was walking at Halloween with two kids ages 4 and 6. A van pulled up with young white men drinking and hollering at us, They tossed beer bottles at us, splinters hitting us, shouting "niggers go home". Just one of the indignities I faced when living in the US. I had finally met racism if the flesh. Yet, I have also encountered kindness in white folks where black folks let me down. We never know from where deep in our hearts the many feelings emerge from, or the circumstances which make us who we are. No one is stopping white folks from expressing their heritage or ancestral struggles. Maybe I should read this again. I did, and I am still on the fence.
Well, just, damn. I appreciate that you added the author's note when there are many times I don't myself, hoping people will see it for what it is, but every once in awhile I need to go back and clarify. This was magnificent structurally as you even made it rhyme with all the word constraints, and emotionally, it made my gut churn. It's awful to recognize that I know people like this. Absolutely loved your take, my friend :)
Good god Hannah this one is impressive. Hits the proverbial nail on the head. I know a few people who think like this and I want to scream at them sometimes. Top tier poetry here
This is an astoundingly jarring but also unfortunately accurate narrative voice. Great use of so many words from your 12 letter one!
Wow! Amazing piece, even aside from the strictures of the challenge.🤩✅ I grew up with lots of aboriginal friends (on relay teams etc… of course!); & two were my foster siblings briefly… I currently have a South Sudanese ‘sister’😍 It is tragic, the attitudes people can have regarding our fellow bros & sisters who wear a different skin colour.
I too would have had to put an author's note just because I'd have felt uneasy, even though people would not think I thought those things. Blistering...that's a word...you nailed this kind of horrible person right on the head. Well done, Hannah!
Really liked the flow of this. I loved the author’s note I would have drove myself crazy thinking, will they think I feel this way? they won’t think that… will they?
Heyyy, I didn't know you were Australian too! Incredible poem! 💌
Whoaaaa, that was extremely powerful! You packed a hugeeeee punch in there!
Sounds a lot like what passes for politics on our side of the pond.
Alright, I think I may have gathered my current, immediate, thoughts on this.
Carefully crafted conjuring of an odious character. Well done!