The Fifth Part

Seeing You
is feeling with my heart what the naked eye could never see.
Though I could never be inside of your skin, I can see your hurt;
I can listen to your pain;
I can be moved with empathy by your tears;
I can rejoice with you in your joys, and pray with you in your horrors;
I can sit with you In your grief And console you In your sorrows.
I can humble Myself
and acknowledge and hold your anger,
admit that I was wrong; I can swallow My pride,
Learn from my mistakes, and work to make amends.

Or, I can choose to Absolve myself of all culpability for failing to keep you, As it is my privilege And duty to do;
And declare with righteous rectitude, That I don’t see you
as Black
Or White
Or Asian
Or Latinx
Or Indian
Or whoever or whatever your skin
Your ethnicity
Your heritage
Your history
Your experience
Your story
Your culture
Your genealogy
Your gender
Your spirituality
Your orientation
Your gains and tragedy
Your trauma and Your drama
Your tears Your hopes and your fears Have made you.
And what greater tragedy could there be
Than to have eyes that choose to see
only 3/5ths or - on a good day - 4/5ths
of your 5/5ths?