Sent: 8/13/2003 11:11 AM
As I approached her
on the night lit sidewalk
I smiled at her
to which she scowled
before her clawing echo
tore a hole in my heart
"You'd better get out of here
white boy
You aren't welcome here
white boy
There's no room for you in Harlem
white boy"
As my silence stunned me
under the fluorescent hums
I walked onward home
during which I healed
while my melancholy thoughts
sang of freedom for my soul
"This is where I live
even white
This was my only welcome
even male
Harlem is now my home
even me
You don't know me
You don't know me
The color of my skin
The gender of my human
The sexuality of my being
These cannot begin to tell you
The spirit of my soul
You just don't know
You just don't know
Ultimately it doesn't matter
that you won't stop to read the novel
of my own short life thus written
on worn, torn pages of black and white
still it hurts to hear the judgment
when you only consider me by my cover
You won't know
You won't know
I love you for your color of skin
I love you for your gender of human
I love you for your sexuality of being
That I love you for you will tell you
The spirit of my soul
Do you know
You know"
For I approach you
on the Son lit path
and I smile at you
to which you hear
a loving echo start
streaming from my heart
"We're all living here
even you
We are all welcome here
even me
There's room enough for everyone
even all
Know love
Please know Love."
