Tag Archives: shame

Other

Posted on by
Reply 
On the other side of the fence
it was the alterity that surprised me
packed in close and dense
were a people the like I had never seen 
their long black braids down to the waist
straight noble noses their faces graced
recessed brown eyes deep under heavy brows
dark olive skin and standing proud 
their gaudy costumes coloured and loud

until you looked closer to see the signs of violence
they had suffered in our friendly so called “liberation”
I had wondered what that statement meant
and the shame I felt was deep and grew
the more I looked the more I knew
we would be responsible for their demise
because our friendly intentions were just a guise
and I could never see it otherwise
now
damn my eyes

Blaze

Posted on by
Reply

All work is my own and subject to copyright. I do not permit AI to use my work.

blaze

Posted on by
1 
slow
anger
infiltrates
expands like smoke
explodes into furious rage
scorches and burns all it touches
then dissolves 
into shame and misery

Peer lust Peer sorrow Regrets I carry into Every Tomorrow

Posted on by
4 
Rum tum tum Rum tum tum
I succumbed
Rum tum tum
When the words were flung

Saw the bait Saw the bait
Thrown to peers alust with hate
Saw the bait 
Do its work to humiliate

Watched his face Watched his face
Cloud to the many shades of disgrace
Watched his face 
Laid waste by such bitter taste

Witnessed the scorn Witnessed the scorn
For one different and elsewhere born
Witnessed the scorn 
As with thorny crown he was adorned

Turned my head Turned my head
When more weaponised words were said
Turned my head 
Away from watching as his heart bled

Felt my shame Felt my shame
As passive part of this vicious game
Felt my shame 
My brutal silence my silence to blame

I still regret I still regret 
No one’s eyes to have met
I still regret 
Complicit inaction I can’t forget

Where is he now? Where is he now?
Is he high or is he low?
Where is he now?
Does anger in him burn aglow?

Sanaa asked we poets to explore the issue of peer pressure for this week’s dVerse prompt. I expect there are few people anywhere who can claim complete innocence. Have you got anything to say for yourself?