James Moore Poet Narrative

The Soft Racism of Low Expectation

Have you noticed how manners have gone out of fashion?

It’s considered cool now 
To rebel against the old order
By simply refusing to act like the old order.
The result of course is a return to primitivism
Like an abandoned garden all gone to weeds.
The corollary is modern people have apparently
Lost the ability to even recognize weeds.

Weeds grow in so many forms;
From a disobedient toddler who is never taught
No means no
To the youth who thinks it’s cool to steal
And adult who expects to get away 
With rape and murder.

Increasingly the powers that be  
Are infected by the guilt of being the powerful
And so think it’s kind to let the criminal go free
Especially if they are a shade of non-white
And tilt the stats so far it seems unfair.

But have you also noticed
It’s mainly liberal whites who think only whites
Can be racist, because only whites are in power.
Other races of course know this is bogus
Because they can see the racist amongst them
While the liberal whites are oblivious
That they are the closet white supremacists
Because, you know, only those on top
Can be racist…

Everyone wishes to be a better them
It’s just part of our nature
And we look to others for leadership and example
Since that’s just part of our nature too,
But it doesn’t help if we don’t set a bar
And hold ourselves and others to it.
Low expectations just encourage low results
Even if they are done out of love.

(5/12/26)

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment