Home » Poems » Michael Ellis » I Forgot He Was White

Notes About The Poem

Two men meet on a train. A Poem about human prejudice and dangerous stereotyping. When two people are left alone for a few hours so much can transpire. One man in young and white and the other in Black and much older. Story takes place near Tennessee.

I Forgot He Was White

I forgot he was White

 

I met a man on the train

A hundred miles from Tennessee

I studied him meticulously

Hoping he wouldn’t sit next to me

So I judged him Prejudicially

 

He was white, about 24

In Military garb with a beard

We were in the South

So he was everything

CNN & Fox said I should fear

He said, Sir, Do you mind if I sit here?

 

Now I just got over Charlotte

And  (Charleston still had me in tears)

I didn't want to talk about Sharpton

Or Trayvon or share political fears

 

I moved by bags over to the the right

And reached to turn off the light

To my surprise he was quite pollite

 

He was far too candid about his PTSD

Speaking rather candidly

The loud noises, Sir!

The sound of the IED.

Then he reached into his bag

Offering pieces of candy to me

 

He said, Sir, I should have never

Gone over there.

I was a kid playing video games.

I don’t know if I will ever be the same.

 

I spoke of Vietnam

And he spoke of Iraq

He said, “Sometimes I hear voices, Sir”

I said, Just be thankful you made it back.

 

He spoke of his injured brother

Who was also bitten by  war’s bite

He wanted to cry but the conductor

Flashed on the light

I said, “Hey, Everything will be alright.”

 

He looked into my eyes

Saying, Goodbye, Sir.

I watched him disappear from sight

Leaving me to realize

That in those brief hours

 

I had forgotten he was White

americaconflictdepressionfearhumanitydramatic verse

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Richard Lamoureux

March 25, 2021 at 4:06 PM

My wife is Chinese but for the most part I don’t give it much thought. Still I try to be aware how her skin affects the way others interact with her and how she experiences the world. She comes from a long rich culture and It informs many of her decisions. Having been in Canada since she was 9 so she also is familiar with Canadian culture.

Sara Kendrick

September 23, 2020 at 6:41 AM

Creative work addressing the problems of prejudice in America and other countries. When we see the humanness of a person we see them differently for sure. Enjoyed reading your work. Sara