by Rha Arayal
i don’t think
it’s a nice phrase.
it’s used by us,
the POC as you say,
to call out
your foul play-
very much to your
petty dismay.
we don’t even
ask for you to pay-
just to listen to what
we have to say.
you use the hashtag,
upload the black snap,
but you
don’t
understand.
don’t say to me
“well you’re not black”
because
well, i’m not white
either.
you have called me
an “exotic” creature
rubbing your hands
together like a
zookeeper.
you have made us
the underachievers
you snicker and say
“we’re employing cleaners”
beneath the weight
of the “economy”
i too have said
“i can’t breathe”
your glossed over
eyes and
crumpled face
look like perfect origami,
brimming with grace.
if you can overlook
George’s story
without being shook-
if you can say
“black lives matter”
without a falter-
from the pain
that remains
in those three
words
then your white privilege
goddamn shows.
