I.
Privilege
can walk down any street
No one
is afraid
II.
Privilege
can shop anywhere
Clerks say hello
Privilege isn't followed
III.
Privilege
walks behind people
who do not
quicken their pace
IV.
Privilege
orders a pizza
It gets delivered
to the door
V.
Privilege
wears a hoodie
People assume
it is just cold
VI.
Privilege
passes on the sidewalk
Women
don't clutch purses tighter
VII.
Privilege
says, "I don't see color"
It doesn't have to.
submitted for dVerse Poets Pub, One-Two-Three-Ten Word!
*
Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen
20 comments:
Oh, these are good. I wrote a poem once about this, based on an experience. I took my Mom shopping to a priviledged store. I was dressed casually and the clerks ignored me. The next day I returned to pick up what she had ordered. I was dressed to go out to dinner and they just about drooled on me. Some people base so much on appearance.
hey you...been forever since i was here...pivilege does carry its perks...i saw somewhere they had put the hoodie law into effect...my students and i kinda talked it through one day....prejudice is still alive and well, for sure...
So true here.. the privilege of walking and have the freedom of choice, vs having always have to be prepared to be ignored or worse.. Myself have passed to the age where I'm always feeling privileged... and the scary thing is that you cease to notice that you pass by all the lanes.
So much truth here! Really good stuff.
yep... that is all privilege... and we too often take it for granted - but i know from visitors from other countries where a woman couldn't walk the street alone - esp. not at night - i'm thankful i can
One could write a book on privilege..or someone already has....
I like that this is a series, but each one stands alone. Nice take on the prompt. Peace, Linda
The last one is really good LM ~ Admiring the unravelling of privileges ~
Wow, these pack a punch ... after the double-take.
I liked this, how you made a whole out of your different ten-word poems. I think you captured 'privilege' in a very powerful and realistic way.
You have given a 'face' to Privilege..... we have all seen them, as they are everywhere.
yes, yes... makes me think of how I've been followed around, told not to wear my hood up, to come home before dark so people won't mistake me for a "thug"... it's 2014 and it feels like time is going backwards...
Such preoccupations with appearance, and yet media, news, even Hollywood guide our conceptions on this. When are we going to realize that the adage about not "judging a book by it's cover" is so absolutely true.
thought provoking - so much power in so few words -
true, each one - complex like life
privilege is not being pulled over because the car you're driving seems to nice and you're told after checking your papers and articulate the reason you were out driving was because you were going to visit friends in an upscale berb. 'why'd you pull me over, officers'?"...we thought you were speeding back there. ok, your papers seem to be in order"
has happened in Ind.,Iowa, Ohio. can anyone say 'profiling'. alive and well
yes my tan is an all year round one. my black hair is not dye and my latino music on my radio is actually my mamasita singing on tape when she used to perform in different countries.
i go to sit two seats away from two women sitting at the bar in an upscale pub and the one who's using a stool for her purse suddenly grabs it and puts it on her lap.
Privilege is pretty much blind to itself; it just feels normal to those who have it. Just ask any male about privilege and wait for the blank look.
So sadly true. The fifth particularly so.Privilege does not need to see itself. Excellent write. Thank you.
They all work separately and together as well as clear powerful statements. Thanks, Lola. k. (http://manicddaily.wordpress.com)
This is very astute poetry, LM.
Post a Comment