Where Do I Sit

(Austin, Texas, 1955) I see in a bus All the black faces in the back All the white faces in the front I’m neither white nor black! Where do I sit? Greyhound bus station I see two signs ‘Whites Only’ ‘Blacks Only’ I’m neither white nor black! Which one do I use? Ask a bus attendant He scratched his head And smiled ‘Go to the wall Between two doors’ Then he tapped my back And said Either is OK with me Young man FIFTY YEARS LATER I visited Austin No more black faces Sitting in the back No more ‘Blacks Only’ ‘Whites Only’ signs I didn’t have to ask ‘Where do I sit?’ ‘Where do I go?’