It Could Have Been Me

It could have been me I am white, privileged, Christian, educated and wealthy I am married with children, young, fit and healthy But what if I was born into a different family Pushed down by the weight of different social gravity It could have been me born as a black child Ripped and jibed for the colour of my skin Sticking for safety with the brothers of my kin With my head on the ground under the knee That could have been you or it could have been me It could have been me born with something not ‘normal’ Where the genetics go wrong and I am born with a ‘barrier’ Or my parents do drugs, or drink I become the carrier With my hands driving wheels or holding a stick Whilst being called names like ‘stupid’ and ‘thick’ It could have been me not fancying girls Being teased in the street for holding hands with a boy With names thrown my way for others to enjoy Looking for help when I’m attacked in the street Because of where I might go and who I might meet It could have been me immigrating for work Escaping the life of my country’s condition Finding it hard to make a family decision Living off wages that don’t match the hour As the English men laugh I worry and cower It could have been me born as a different religion Being taught different ways to believe and behave Being shown different ways to do right and be saved If I don’t know I’m wrong how can I change? You persecute and discriminate thinking I’m strange It could have been me with no money for dinner Pursuing the means to make the ends meet Whilst trying to buy the right shoes for my feet Not having the right phone or the right hair Seeing the others thinking how is this fair? Should I discriminate? Should I be mean? Thinking about all the bad stuff I’ve seen It could have been me who drew a raw deal Perhaps we should think more about how others might feel.