Home » Poems » L Milton Hankins » On Being Human

On Being Human

I am neither brown nor white nor black
My skin tone is somewhere between ivory
And pale, like the color of the crayon
We used to paint flesh in coloring books
Those who know call it melanin. They say
The more you have the darker your skin.

I am neither white nor black nor red
My blood ebbs and flows just like your blood
Both are good for emergency transfusions
Type for type, our blood safely comingles
Because God said he has "made of one blood
All nations of men." (Acts 17: 26)

I am neither black nor red nor white
I am a human.
You are a human.
We are human.
Together we are humanity,
Just like God intended us to be!

FIRST PLACE WINNER
Written December 29, 2020
Submitted to the "UN-RHY-ME"
Contest sponsored by Brian Strand

FEATURED POEM
Poetry Soup Home Page
June 27, 2022

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John Watt

Date: 7/2/2022 11:48:00 AM

Milt, to quote a Michael Jackson song, "I don't want to spend my life being a color". You have expressed this so very well. Let's all look deeply enough into a person to see that their blood is the same color as our own.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 7/2/2022 11:50:00 AM

Thank you so much, John, for your affirmative comment on my poem.

Susan Ashley

Date: 12/2/2020 2:14:00 PM

Amen. You’ve expressed the need to embrace all humanity with accepting arms beautifully, L MILTON. Congratulations for your wonderful win in Brian’s contest.. ~Susan

L Milton Hankins
Date: 7/2/2022 11:50:00 AM

Thank you, too, Susan, for your thoughtful comment.

Gary Radice

Date: 12/1/2020 2:22:00 AM

I couldn't agree more as to how sad it is that people have not learned decency and acceptance...It's sad that the ignorant are ignorant of their ignorance.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 7/2/2022 11:50:00 AM

Yes, it is, Gary. And, sadly, so prevalent.

John Hamilton

Date: 10/24/2020 7:03:00 PM

Truth spoken, all humans all equal in the sight of God, if only we could all have his vision!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/26/2020 2:35:00 PM

John, to me it is sad that human beings have been on this earth for so long and have not learned basic decency and acceptance. Thanks so much for your comment on my poem! I read some of your poems. You are talented, my friend, very talented!