~ THE EVERY MAN ~
In the nineteen seventies
Called "Mulatto" and "Half Breed"
An American childhood
Indeed, more a seed,
I had to learn,
To love,
Me....
With embryonic eyes
I saw initially
White mom, Black pop
Staring down at me
In turn, I learned
A kaleidoscope of imagery,
No divisions in cultural
Iconography,
Skin color, a forgotten concern
Individually,
And so the crazy racist
Evaporates
Subtly,
Without obvious war
The peace train transforms
The hate
(toward either race)
Into antipathy,
Aimed at those
With cross genealogy,
Those rippled bloods
In evolutions
Promise,
Of an engine called
Equality...
And as I grew into myself
I found an undisturbed
Fountain of wealth,
Beaming
From the eyes
Of the commonwealth,
A false facade of feigned concern
For my success,
I learned to proceed
With a patriotic stealth,
The stuff that built my pride
That faith I had
Within myself,
That I might become a standard
Of what it meant,
To be an American
Completely hell bent
On a world of believability
And nothing else....
But now I'm older
So much older for where I've been,
The standing up for who I am
The love inside, that defines
A mighty will,
An inner pillar,
That keeps me steady
And standing still
In the midst of Hell
And turmoil's pace,
The ever-war
That I have ever-faced,
The concrete commitment
To my mixed race
To ever stand proud
Of what I am
To fly the face
Of freedom's American
That I own the fact
That my mother is white
And my father
Black,
That there exists
No, one, skin color,
Only the way, people react
To their next door neighbor
And in fact,
The way they regard,
The Every Man....
Tony Taylor
* a work in progress
Like 8 Pin it 7
Support CosmoFunnel.com
You can help support the upkeep of CosmoFunnel.com via PayPal.
Comments
“Only the way, people react”.
So true! Only reflects human dimness that .07874016 inches of skin determines a persons worth!!!!
You definitely related to one of the MOST important lines in that write......and you're so right....the epidermis is WAY too overvalued!!.....not as an organ of course!! .....smiles......thanx for this JP!!......I'm Out!!......T xo : )
wonderful poem Tony
Thanx GREG!!....as always, your continued support of my work is such a kindness......I appreciate it brother!!.......later tater!!......T xo : )
Absolutely fantastic write Tony. You have managed to get to the heart of the whole huge issue in one single brilliant write whilst showing an inner strength to be proud of my friend. Personally I've always suspected its more an issue of culture than colour...in Britain anyway. We are all just humans...extremely faulty humans...pinned 💙
Thank you TONS Miss MARION!!.....I was a bit hesitant to post this piece....but it all just came tumbling out of me last night as if it was just meant to be......Very little editing....just poured out onto the page!! I can't tell you how relieved I am by this comment!!.....THANK YOU dear lady......I am your friend and ever admirer!!.......T xo : )
Why would you worry about posting Tony? I post about whatever I like, please or offend. And the issue you have written so beautifully about affects everyone and should be put out there my friend....Good on you x
You're absolutely right Miss MARION!......sometimes I just doubt myself too much!!......thanx again you lovely soul!!......smiles.....T xo : )
Under the circumstances so eloquently writ .. it would be a sin not to pin sir ..
So I bloomin well did ............Made me think of the first single bit of vinyl I ever bought (Melting Pot by Blue Mink) ... and hey, I'm write there in your corner brother, rockets n all :)
I don't know about the SIN part......but this is VERY high praise brother......I'm gonna have to check out some Blue Mink!!......sounds interesting......and being a musician myself I am ALWAYS on the look out for new stuff to ingest!!......Thanx for this NEVILLE......I appreciate it!!......smiles.......T xo : )
you are most welcome, my pleasure entirely .. N :)
‘A mighty will,
An inner pillar,
That keeps me steady
And standing still
In the midst of Hell’
Amazing wordcraft there ❤️🌹💕
VERY cool!!......thanx so much JILL!!......I was flowing through those lines.....just came from the heavens!!,......hugs n smiles......T xo : )
Lovely lines Tony ❤️💕❤️
Hmm some deep thinking about how to pull.
Your perfect just the way you are.
Thank you LILIANA!!.....I am most grateful for you and your insights dear lady!!.....Big Smiles!!.......T xo : )
Thank you.
In life it's easy to feel unnoticed or something like that, but inspiration is like a falling autumn leaf, always catches the glimpse of the corner of the eye.
You inspire me, with your way with words.
Write a book Tony.
Nations,Kindred, tongues, and people, well written my kindred brother!........................................................................Jim
Thank you JIM!!....My kindred friend!! (smiles)........apologies for the late reply......I am so glad I found this......later!!.......T xo : )
Tony, I almost missed commenting. Sorry to be late to the party. For this is one fine write my lovely friend. You have captured the suffering of many here. How we need as humans to look beyond pigmentation. For we are wise enough to understand that we are not defined by such a thing. My mother calls me a beatufiul cocktail, and I have always been so proud of my roots. We should be celebrating difference not using it to build walls. I love this my friend. Thank you again for sharing your wisdom in beautiful poetic ink
Your good friend
Gwen x
Wow GWEN!!....you're not late...I am late dear lady.....thank you....you "Beautiful Cocktail"!! (smiles).......I am so happy I found this....so happy you were late to the party.....after having just gone back and found many comments on many poems that I have simply NOT seen....and even Know existed....i have come to realize that there IS a direction....there IS a voice.....There IS a specific subject matter I SHOULD be focusing on!!.....I am EVER SO GRATEFUL for this site.....for COSMOFUNNEL.....it has been a bridge....a doorway.....and most importantly ~ It has been a "Beautiful Work-Station" for me in general!!.....a place for me to develop and I will NEVER forget what it has provided for me!!......because of writers....too many writers to name....like yourself ......that have been nothing but encouraging!!.....Thank You Miss GWEN!....you're a poetic angel!.....hugs n Smiles......your cyber-friend and ever-admirer!!.......Tony xo : )