Categorize me however you please
Place me in a space that brings you the most peace
Come dusk, it matters little what I say or do.
I cannot dissuade you,
From entertaining your preconceived notions,
Notions that somehow carry enough sewing material
To blanket how you picture an entire race.
Story of my life: Pegged as a deviant when it’s all but convenient….
Because I can go wherever you go, I undoubtedly have to be dealing drugs right?
Because I bear the colour of the abyss, I am clearly in need of your saving grace right?
Because you feel you’re better than me, I should be thankful for your presence, right?
Because you assume an untapped level of self-importance,
I should let you call me the N-word …
No. Hell no. Get out of here with that garbage.
Consider greasing the shutters that shield your eyes from the truth.
Take a moment and liken that way of thought
To me assuming everyone who disagrees with what I say is part of the Klan.
A notion so ridiculous you would think after hearing it racism would end today.
But it won’t, because no matter how many times you tryÂ
There will always be one more fool in need of convincing.
Whether its yay or nay, It’s okay.
You would sooner shoot me on the street if you intend my voice to go mute.
Because when it comes to this; I will never tire.
As long as there is still a body that proudly carries that colonial mindset
I, in kind, will not be too far behind.
If only to remind them that they cling to oxygenÂ
That has far outlasted their expiry date.
– O.D. ©2019
Art by: DanteReliford
As always, these poems come from a real place.
I have a thing against anyone who believes they are superior to everyone else in every way. It gets worse when it enters the realm of racism. I have no patience for that, no matter who you are.
Nevermind the subtleties of racism, because I know anyone can be racist without even intending to be (usually through stereotyping). I admit to having been ignorant of stereotyping in the past, but I have worked tirelessly to make it right.
In this piece I am talking to those who hate a particular race just ’cause… you (whoever you are) need to eat a brick.
Remind me to tell you the story behind this piece. It’s a lengthy one.
O.D. 
I love the art, looking forward to hearing the lengthy story behind this.
It’s something I know too well, being judged based on the colour of my skin.
People should be addressed as individuals and not labelled based on the color of their skin. I’m sorry you have to go through that.
We should however appreciate those who see us for who we are 🙂
Needs to be said. Unfortunately.
Unfortunately indeed 💔
“Consider greasing the shutters that shield your eyes from the truth.” That line struck me as so well composed it involuntarily reminded me of sunlight.
Two things that really get to me about racism. How so many of us on “my” side of the issue see it in others, but not ourselves. And how it hurts the racist her or himself. Other things annoy me too, but those two are so often overlooked.
Racism is like the notion god — if god exists — is a judgmental asshole. Even if you don’t subscribe to it, it’s so prevalent in some cultures that anyone growing up in those cultures has been infected by it. Hence, you have to start with yourself. You can’t just say, “It’s something everyone else does, but I’m pure.”
Second, it annoys me that the focus is so seldom placed on how it hurts the racist. I suspect if it were, there would be a wee bit less of it. In my opinion, not much can dislodge it in some people other than they see what it’s doing to them.
Looking forward to hearing the story behind your poem.
As long as my mind is on this, I might as well add that — in my experience — the most effective way of rooting out or ameliorating racism in yourself is to approach it dispassionately — without condemnation or judgement.
Just examine it like a scientist would examine a fruit fly. You’ll see how it’s burning you. You don’t need a lot of elaborate theories and moralizing to know a fire is burning you, and to know to get out of it. So far as I’ve seen, the more you objectively and dispassionately learn about racism, the more you automatically reject it. In other words, just see it for what it is — the mind will then respond appropriately of its own accord.
But judge yourself good or bad because of it, and you fuel it. At best, you turn it into a game of wack-a-mole. Beat it down one place, it pops up in another.
At least, that’s how it works for me. I’ll quit boring everyone now.
This is seriously intense. I love it. You have to speak out and to write out and not let them just carry on they way they are. I have recently decided I have to speak out and get my 60s protest boots out and start doing some kicking!! For me it is about women and how we can loose our rights(to have loans, credit cards, mortgages as well as rights of decision over our own bodies) in the blink of an eye. It is creeping in here in Canada as well with politicians not being honest about where they stand. So Bravo to you for these words you have written here.
Oh gods! Canada too?
Yes it is a lot more subtle as the government in power is a supporter of women but we have an election coming up in the fall and I can see the opposition party trying to conceal their real intentions. And I’m not a paranoid individual.
The have to conceal their intentions. At least here they do — and I have no doubt about what you’ve about Canada. If they were honest, they’d never get elected. People would be onto them.
All these issues are related. If they can drive a wedge between us on racial lines, they can drive one between us on gender lines. If they can get our permission to discriminate on any grounds, they can get our permission to discriminate on every grounds. They know that. I just hope enough of us know it too.
You are right and have expressed it very well. We must not let that wedge be driven in!
Sorry for the typos. I forgot to proofread.
And its good you’re doing that Anne. Nothing is worse than regretting you hadn’t tried. At times we don’t realize who our message inspires regardless of us seeing little to no progress.
I am happy to hear from you again. Always happy when I see you comment on my page 🙂🙂🙂