April 2018 Poetry Feature: Esther Hart
White America
You were
Uprooted
Torn from
Home
And Now...
"Home"
is Where
You are:
Abused
Displaced
Bruised
Disgraced
Murdered
The rest
of us
So easily
Forget
Why
You learned
To hide
Hide to
Survive
We wanted
Only
The parts
we could
Modify
And make our
Own
We've forgotten
you;
Your pain,
your history
Or perhaps
We never
Noticed
White Proselytizing
I am a product
Of the Great
Western Enlightenment
I value intelligence
I am civilized
I am righteous
The good news is
You can be civilized too
Because I care about you
I am so generous.
Let me save you.
You’re welcome.
Watch me.
Wear your hair like this.
Walk
Talk
Pray
Think
Like me
Put on these clothes
This is presentable
No, not that.
Now you’re getting it
It’s okay, let me help.
Let me show you how to do it.
Try this.
An-nun-ci-ate.
Chin up.
Change your name.
Watch me.
This is the right way to
Behave.
You’re doing great.
Now go show your friends.
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