Misguided Words

Based on an incident I had during High School. (5/2/23)

Invitation.

That is how it would ought to start.

Good friends, chirping away,

enjoying their usual and newfound life pleasures.

Business as is typically.

Misguided, you are.

Entrenched, in a supposed calm town.

Misguided, you are.

One bias, one word,

"N*****"

befalls the aura

as a tumultuous force

from the ignorant boy.

Misguided, you are.

Quarrel and frustration is reveling

within the very group,

on what was once thought to be solved.

Misguided.

After the anger,

authoritative notice calls,

and heals the duo

fighting against the boy.

Once thought to be

a dead, rested war,

resurfaces to the mind,

histories wishing not to resurrect.

_____________

"Remember when the 1964 Civil Rights Act removed all forms of discrimination?"

...

Nothing but misguided words.

Author's Note

This poem is based on an incident I had on May 2, 2023, when I met a boy in my grade who was saying the N-word and spouting homophobic slurs as if it was a joke he had heard. The whole dispute disturbed my friend and me. When you're living in one of the most democratic states in the country, you'd never expect something like this to occur, and yet, here I am, fearing that if one of the most vital rights available in the states is still threatened, what else could come next?

Reviews

[1809 Black Plague Decem..]

Dear Keagan Cole, the harsh reality hit you. I talked to a psychologist. She hears my downs. She hears my dread, my losses. She sits. She stares. She doesn't know what to say. It has never happen to you, I ask of her. No, of course not she tells. Miserable I go home, it happens to I? ---Maynard.

[emmajoygreen]

Strong, understandable and justified words. 'Wonder when people will accept the fact - once and for all time that blood is red , that each and every one of us have it coursing through our veins, body and being.

[Bhuyanshi Talukdar]

Your poem is a powerful reflection on the persistence of racism and prejudice in our society. The way that you describe the sudden shift in tone and mood is particularly striking, and I was moved by the way that you describe the anger and frustration that arises from the use of a hateful word. Your use of repetition throughout the poem is masterful, and it serves to underscore the idea that these issues are not new, but have been with us for a long time. The final lines of the poem are particularly poignant, as they remind us that the work of fighting against discrimination is ongoing, and that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to create a more just and equitable society.

[coagulatedfire]

I thought your usage of elements like crossing out lines and the powerful choices of language makes this piece particularly alluring. Really good job. Really.

[Keagen Cole]

Thanks. ^w^

[Red Brick Keshner]

And we would not expect from the so paraded 21st century be so backward but sadly experience shows otherwise. Whichever narrative is espoused or exposed, the triggers are still there and quite potent as well.

[Keagen Cole]

The sad part is, there are still states out there that tolerate racism (Texas, The Carolinas, etc.) and entire communities allowing this to happen. This is exactly why I'm hoping to move to Ireland. At least their heads are on straight. ,:(