Off-White

Off-White

 

 

He reconsidered his purpose in life, his divine 

mission, plagued by one disaster after another.

“White genocide!” the old man cried,

surprising everyone, meaning no one,

not even when

he shrieks

                           and dashes out of the path      

              of the statue before it crashes

to the concrete, each shattered fragment

blasting upon impact into a glorious

                           glitter bomb, a collective

                           mushroom cloud of color

that triggers cheers and applause

throughout the crowd, the city,

                           the country, drowning out

                           the curses and the chants                                                                                             of frightened men

        young and old who mutter.

“All lives matter!” inside their cairns of rubble.

No one is listening. No bother. The old man,

                              prince of nothing, sour-faced

                              interloper whose skin color,

        ruddy-white, is proof                                   

        of his sovereignty

and superiority, his dominion over this world.

He is honored and respected, he feels it, trusts it;

        understands that even

        as he dies here, he is better

then the wealthiest, most handsome

colored man in heaven or on earth.           

Reviews

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

This is a powerful thought provoking piece of writing, it's meaning meant to spark discussions. I read my friend, Matt's comments, below. I agree with his assessment to a point. Where I differ is by the speakers who state "All lives matter" who are incapable of saying do black lives matter too? If so say it, but simply refuse and continue to hide behind their disingenuous mantra statement. I can't know the trueness of their heart, I'm not a mind reader, nor do I know how they have lived their lives in the judgement of others. That is between them and their maker, if they believe in such things. But as a person of color, who I myself has been pulled over for simply driving brown, I have experienced things things in my over 50 years of life. I have been called spic, wet back, field N-word, and been other-ised in many ways. Hateful rhetoric can hide behind even the most benign statements. Its power is in the subtly and indifference. And it is in the indifference we lose our humanity and empathy for one another. Thank you for your poem and for the honest discussion it is meant to inspire.

[Seth Cason]

Hey Carlos! You're absolutely right-- the sincerely desperate men who bellow the layered slurs of their ALL LIVES bs, in my fantasy/ poem, finally go unnoticed. Goodness prevailed, prejudice evaporated, and the final section is the pitiful delusion of White Genocide guy. The first time I heard that term, reality had already packed its luggage and said, "I'm just going to step outside for a second and check the mail."
There's so much more, I think I'll write an explanatory follow-up that elaborates all of this in greater depth.Thank you for reading and commenting.

[mattavelli]

Hey, Carlos! :)
Ya, the slogan BLM doesn't touch me personally, because I'm not black. For me, it just begs the next thought in the logical sequence; black lives matter because all lives matter. And why do all lives matter?... Because that is the ideal that our society was founded on; which is not a racist position, but one forfeited to racists. Why was it forfeited?
So, today, on one hand, we have a race-based political machine, BLM, with deep pockets; and on the other hand, a bunch of riled up racists feeling so righteous that they went and crapped in the capitol building.
I cheered on the protests last summer, I loved watching those statues get torn down, and watching neighbors parade for kindness. And maybe I'm twisted, but my favorite part was seeing the brutal pushback from the authorities, the broken culture on morbid display, proving the protesters' right.
One day the mongrels will March. Ours will end up a cash grab too, but we'll spend it all on the afterparty, and be sure to get a holiday out of it that always lands on a Monday.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I agree, Matt. Great causes end up becoming great profits for those who insidiously seek to use them to make money from it. Sadly it's true. The hypocrisy is undeniable to be sure. It is crazy to imagine children born of the 60s during a time of peace and love would grow to become insurrectionists rubbing feces and urine into the halls that the poor and enslaved help build. These people are more beholden to corporate greed as a virtue then equality for all as a right. And though my experiences as a person of color may not be worse then other minorities there are similarities I have had to endure. But in the end we are accountable individually what we put out into the world, good or bad. We could either allow our hate to guide our mouths, or we can choose our hearts to speaks our words instead. Our society is at an inflection point in history. Like the ouroboros snake we can choose to devour ourselves out of existence or we can choose to live up to our better selves as reflected in the ideas of the founding fathers, who themselves were also imperfect. But it all starts with us, and the knowledge we choose to instill into our children. I am saddened that a segment of my generation leaves behind a nation in turmoil. And that it has left many of those younger than I disheartened and pessimistic of change. They have every right to be mad at what we have wrought upon this society. But I will be damned if I ever give up on it. As long as I can write and speak I will do so for truth and hope. I won't let their greed and hate win. But it all begins with us educating the next generations to come. Just because we failed shouldn't be a reason for them to as well. It is our responsibility to give them hope. And be better then us. Thank you, my friend, for speaking your truth, I do sympathize with you and understand.

[Fran Marie]

I think also that
all lives matter
so much violence
and chaos over the
this racial divide
and I fear things
will just get worst
with each passing day;

[lightsong]

I came across your poem few days ago when it was first posted and I intended to review it since then, I must say that I don't agree to the sentence on your photo, racism and discrimination has nothing to do with religion, "they" whomever "they" are , play on this string to create more conflict and fighting between people. it's a matter of humans and morals. still, no one can deny the power of your words here my friend, the title itself is enough, the strong thing about your poem that it feels timeless, You spoke truths of many years ago that are unfortunately still going on our times here, maybe in a different term and form but still the essence is the same.

Thank You for sharing your valuable thoughts and talent with us. always, Peace and Love**

[Seth Cason]

Hi lightsong,
Thank you for commenting. To be honest, when deciding on an illustration, I had one of those "angel on one shoulder, devil on the other" moments, but then I remembered that man on the TV news report and got angry. And so, as a means of detaching myself, I made poor Lucy take the rap.

Also, I was hoping to achieve a personal catharsis as I wrote. My dad's only brother is a proud card-carrying southern bigot who makes my skin crawl. In 2016, my dad and I went together to vote at our town hall, and my uncle was pacing the sidewalk immediately outside the doors of the building-- canvassing the joint, inspired by Trump and Limbaugh and FOX to keep an eye out for all the brown people plotting to overturn the election.

I go into more detail in something I posted recently entitled, "Fresh out of Camouflage, something something I don't remember." And yeah, I'll think about changing that picture. And I think I have the right one in mind...

Thanks again for the review. Now that I know you're out there, I'll pay you a visit. But probably not right now, since it's 3:30 in the morning. Anyway, peace and love to you as well,

Seth

[lightsong]

Hi there dear Seth,

first I am happy that You didn't get offended by my note of your photo, and after reading your experiences here I do understand from were You came, we all need a release in a way or anther and it's so good that You released it into your "Art" :)

let your dad's only brother be whatever his ego believe him to be, and keep being proud of whom your dad and You are, speaking of this Happy Belated Father's Day to both of You.


3:30 am :) I don't think there is one poet who didn't wake up this hour, the inspirations time :)

will check your mentioned piece as soon as I can, till then stay proud and creative💕

[Seth Cason]

Thank you for putting a smile on my poor sleep-deprived face. I would love to add you as an official cafe friend. Maybe then you can show me where exactly they keep the coffee in this place.

[lightsong]

hhhhaaa I love funny people so we are friends already:) and believe it or not I just finished my "afternoon" coffee :)

[Coyote Poetry]

I was raised in Detroit. Mix of Ojibwa, Mexican and white. I saw the riots in Detroit. I never saw saw racism till I got older. Here in Detroit. We always got along and we still do. The sad part of change. Need violence in the USA. Martin Luther King Jr. tried the peaceful way. His death changed the USA. It ain't the black against the white. It is the poor against the rich. Rich men and women run the USA. No poor leaders in Washington D.C. My father told me often, like Martin Luther King Jr. said. Education, education and more education. Never allow a man to look down at you. My Native American blood wants no money for the past. It is dirty money. All races must learn. Nothing is free. Free money make you weak. Our world is changing. My grandchildren are half-black and here in Detroit. Great opportunities are available. The black people in Detroit are succeeding and the state of Michigan 15,000 soldiers die in the Civil war fighting for freedom. Time to demand education for the children and be proud of who we are. Outstanding words shared.
Coyote

[Seth Cason]

Hi Coyote,

I do thank you for taking the time to review this poem. Since I don't have the means to regard it with any kind of objectivity, I didn't foresee the lack of clarity on my part that led to such confusion. Most stories,songs, poems, etc begin with a "spark." In this case, I was remembering an old, somewhat hysterical old man on the news a few years ago screaming about how the removal of Confederate monuments was proof of "white genocide," as is equality in general. It was sad and scary to think that this heterosexual white man decided that measures taken to combat systemic racism were victimizing him. He'd made himself into a victim, and there would be no swaying him. I was reminded of the anxiety and frustration I grew up with as a gay man, the senselessness of hatred, how there are people who believe that my very existence is somehow responsible for invalidating their existences.

Anyway, I hope that sheds some light on everything. I'd like to formally extend a friend request, and if you accept I swear I'll keep my responses to a minimum of thirty pages.

Take care,
Seth

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello Seth. I would be honored to befriend you.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This is so powerful, Seth.
The Statue of Liberty was supposed to represent a welcome to all who would come to America.
the kind of hate and prejudice that exists today would shatter her into pieces.
I feel she is on her island watching and weeping at what we have become.
yes, All lives matter...every single one of them.
j.

[mattavelli]

Hello, Seth! :)
This is an interesting read. I'm all for taking down the monuments to the heroes of white nationalism, and ending brutal police practices, but when I first saw protesters with signs saying "black lives matter", my first thought was that all lives matter. I dont support race-based anything. I think you gave heart to this topic, and I hope that we can have a less divisive future. Thanks for sharing.

[Seth Cason]

I want to sincerely thank you for your comment. (I just woke a minute after you sent it. Serendipitous synchronisticy!) It's making me think, and thinking leads to change. There have been a few times since high school when a friend pulled me aside and explained how I needed to realize that certain words and actions inadvertently hurt other people, and those instances are priceless. I'm reminded of a good friend who says, "No argument since the beginning of time has ever been solved by people screaming at each other." I'll keep thinking about your advice, and I thank you!

[mattavelli]

Good morning. Haha
I dont mean to give advice, just perspective and the thoughts your poem brought out in me. I enjoyed reading it.

[Seth Cason]

Nonetheless, it got me thinking, something I wish OH DEAR LORD IT'S MORNING?!?! others in my past had done. Maybe I'd be an intergalactic literary juggernaut. Maybe I'd have married both Ben Affleck AND Matt Damon, which I think is legal somewhere around here. Anyway, I would love to review something of yours when I get the chance, probably tomorrow. I've read some of your poems and those babies belong in a book. I freakin' love them!

[mattavelli]

Thanks, ya, my poetry is awesomesauce.

[Seth Cason]

Yeah! That's the spirit!!!! And a damn good title for Volume One of your compilation.