Let me tell you a tale
one of sadness and woe.
Even I had a time believing
just how this story go.
I'm sitting in the park
on a bench by the lake.
Reading a book of poetry
how Langston Hughes spake.
A ranger drove by
passed a time or two.
Then he stopped, got out
yelling, "hey you."
Aroused from my passion
deeply engrossed, you see.
Shocked into sudden realism
he screaming for my ID.
"What the hell YOU doing.
Bet you out here planning a crime.
Sitting out here on this bench
cause you aint got a dime."
Needless to say enragement
crept all cross my face.
What did I do to cause
this sort of disgrace.
He seemed to anger fast
cause my actions were slow.
Said, he aint taking no shyt
wanted to let me know.
I told him to arrest me
after he saw my ID.
That I would not accept
that sort of treatment of me.
He, obviously startled,
had made a wrong assumption.
My speech and presentation
killed his prior presumption.
Lookiing himn eye to eye
he realized a grave error.
Could tell from his demeanor
he should have acted fairer.
He spun on his heels
turned and just drove away.
Me sitting there in shock
facing a ruint rest of the day.
You mean to tell me
that it could seem a cinch.
I look like a criminal
reading, sitting on a park bench.
Del Cano 2005 Oct
4 comments:
oh goodness, dear spence ... this is a travesty! an angering one, to boot !
i'd've had to've taken out a few of my lovely word-clips and throw a few of them there smart-a** remarks as he drove away ... of course, this has to be done AFTER i'd shown a respect that wasn't given ... *sigh* ... just nothing can explain my feelings of anger toward this ... ESPECIALLY when it comes to my dear spence ..
*hugs*
sue
Spense~Totally believeable! You are in Montana? Well, it could be any state for that matter. I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I was prepared for racists the whole time I was rasing my biracial son in CA. The worse thing that happened was pretty bad, (in Oakland) but I thought I was tough then so I was just glad there was only one incident. So you love Langston Huges too; that does not surprise me either. Ever read Alice Walker or Maya Angelou? I know you will say yes to Maya...Anyway those are two of my fav authors. I don't have white guilt, but I wouldn't say I exactly have white pride either; I sure know my history and it's hard to forgive and never forgotten for a second. GBU-hugs, Sassy PS. How is your lady friend doing? Hope not D.
Thanks "D". No, dear, I love in St. Louis, Missouri but like you said one can find those type people most anyplace.
Blessings,
Spencer
I would have made a grave error if I had been sitting by you on the bench. I would have gotten up and slapped him in the face. So I go to jail......you could have sat on the park bench and read in peace.
I get so mad at things like this because they happen all the time...So it is a poem....its real.
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