Annie Lander | + Follow Poet |
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Live and Learn

When you have finished your work, I have something important to tell you all 

Come in closer, closer, I remember walking down 54 street on a cold December in Manhattan 

I had just finish with a job interview 

 a little frustrated but nevertheless 

I have given praises to the almighty for allowing me to see another day 

Never mind I was jobless, after two years of sending out my resume and making 

Numerous phone calls to business throughout the city. 

 

It was a cold day in December, I hit the pavement and was looking and praying to find myself a job  

As I was walking down the busy street, I saw a queue from here to Halifax 

So, I decided to join the line,  

not even knowing what it was all about (nosey me as usual)  

I never even asked any of the people on the line, what was going on 

 

So, this white lady with a clipboard in her hands, came out of the building and was escorting A few people at a time, to come in. 

I stood trying to be looking smart as I am, and waited 

When it became my turn, this lady looks at me from head to toe 

And said to followed her, I did as I was told 

She led us into the room, and started to hand out a test sheet: 

She said we half only twenty minutes to complete it 

I stare at my test sheet he had like 40 questions, 

And some math, and vocabulary sentences to complete 

I finish the test in less than 20 minutes, 

Wondering what is next to come with the lady 

I got up she stare me down once again, 

Took the test sheet and asked me to wait in this waiting room: 

Once again, I did as I was told. 

 

After another 20 minutes she came and got me, 

He exacts words. 

“We are looking for people to work in Macy department stores,  

Throughout the city in all departments store 

 what hours can you work miss lander? 

I sigh for a moment and say, the morning shifts 

She said I ace the test; she took ANOTHER look at me again: 

And spoke. You will BE BETTER OFF in the shoe department 

 Not the clothing, not the beauty counter, but the shoe department 

I put my fake smile ON and thank her so much, 

 

How dear she, after praising me on my test results 

Because my ass was black,  

she wants to put me in the shoe department: 

I filled out the necessary paperwork for pay roll 

And I shook my head in miss believe, 

I came home, and I tossed the paper in the garbage 

And never took the job. 

My beauty is meant to be seen, 

To love beauty is to see light 

I might have been beautiful to her, but 

Beauty is happiness,  

Racism is really a curse, 

The advantages and the disadvantages of trying to keep a person down 

They just can’t see beyond the color of our skin. 

 

Rather than just saying we’d like to live in a more fair and equal society, we need to do our part to achieve it. (Quote)

Copyright © Annie Lander | Year Posted 2023

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