Poem published in Out on a Limb, an Anthology for Friends in 2020.
The poem is personal to me as the first black police officer hired in Orange County, CA during the turbulent and racist times of the 60s and 70s.
You hate me for my color. You hate me for our differences. You hate me for my successes. You call me names. You call me useless. You call me an outsider. You marked me as invisible. You made me your scapegoat. You expressed your hatred, and Excluded me from your world, Allowing you to define Who was welcome into your group. Do you feel united? Are you at peace? That is, until the next tension rises and A new scapegoat needs to be found.
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