Prepared To Be Compared
Lawrence S. Pertillar 1947 (Connecticut)
Prepared to be compared.
Dissected to microscope and scrutinized.
Done to be followed, judged and profiled.
Yet never am I asked,
If the task has been challenging.
Or...
If I am shocked and amazed,
By the stares I get...
From white children living isolated,
In nearby suburban communities.
On a field trip escorted to the urban city.
To have never seen anyone like me.
Walking without it to run,
Through the streets chased by police.
And to this my answer always is...
'Those kids will never live to feel,
Mentally free without feeling restricted...
To discover the difference between,
Limits placed to remain cemented to stay...
On their mentalities.
With this ultimately to find it beneficial,
When using it to explain to a psychiatrist...
As to why committing crimes,
For attention to get.
From parents who gave all of their attention,
To those of ethnic and diverse races.
Minding their own business.
And...
Never once seen in 'their' neighborhoods,
Taking field trips.
As if to a zoo they were going.'
Oh?
So this to observe, tolerate and witness,
Is not a bother to you at all?
'Hey...
The children of today,
Know what they see.
Hear what's being said.
Dance and rap to Black music.
Enjoy eating various ethnic foods.
And attend sporting and concert events.
Plus...
Grow up to attend universities and colleges.
Where they learn to protest.
Against what makes them upset!'
So...
You have nothing to say about it?
'Not a cent have I yet to invest,
In fiction to digest B.S. to expect dividends.
And don't intend,
A minute of my earned common sense...
Wasted on delusion too obviously addicting.
Found by many,
Easily to credit...
More of it to deepen their debts.
My mind to lose will be at my own discretion!
With no one to dare compare,
How I got there alone.
I explore to adventure innovatively seeking,
To be scrutinized and judged.
As if a novelty living like a toy to play with.
Not to feel anything associated,
Or to call human being!
Weren't you taught that?'
Why would you think that?
'Why would you ask?'
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Written on April 24, 2023
Submitted by lpahtillah on April 24, 2023
Modified on April 25, 2023
- 2:08 min read
- 8 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XXXXAXXBCDEEFX GXCXHDXXXBFXIXXXA JIX HHEXXXXIGKB JX KXXXAEXXFXXAXXCAL L X |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 2,025 |
Words | 427 |
Stanzas | 8 |
Stanza Lengths | 14, 17, 3, 11, 2, 17, 1, 1 |
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"Prepared To Be Compared" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/157576/prepared-to-be-compared>.
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