Be (Poem) (Patreon)

First up for my content this month is a poem I wrote last week.

Be

It’s there on the wall, it’s there in the news,

They want you to be all you can be,

But only the be they think you should be,

Not the be you might be.

Be the white you were born to be or be gone

They call out on the news—

Don’t be the white you shouldn’t be,

Or the other no one wants to see.

Be you, be loud, be proud, but only for them,

Not for you, not for yourself, and not for the truth.

Be white and right and be nothing else—

Even if you can never be the one they want you to be.

Don’t be different, don’t be queer, black, latino, or trans.

Be white and right by being you,

But not the you you know you are to be,

But the you you might never be.

Don’t be poor, disabled, neurodivergent, or old

Be white and right by lying to yourself.

Don’t be you…

Don’t be…