I wrote this poem in 1989, when I was teaching middle school in a very racially diverse school. Most of the kids seemed to stick within their own race. Everyone stayed where they were comfortable, and the divisions were strong. Cultural Ties
“Let us join hands with our ____________
(fill in the blank – Black, Arab, White,
Hispanic, European, Civilized) brothers,
Make this world a ____________ (better, richer,
Happier, blacker, whiter) place,
Fight our oppressor, __________(he, she)
Who does not understand OUR race,
Does not like the looks of OUR face,
Let us BAND together,
Join (tie) our hands together;
That which binds (blinds?) us
Gives us hope (rope?),
Makes us strong (wrong?),
Strong enough to fight (wrong or right?)”
This rope of hope
That binds us
Blinds us.
Shake it loose.
It is a noose.
Comments