I am 16 and black.
I don't mean
Amber or brown or cast.
I mean black.

The kids at school hate me
this is a white neighborhood.
But mom works for the whites.
She scrapes a living
and takes care of me.

Its just you and me mom
Only us.
Always us.
I know Mom.

Dad is dead
That's the end
All there is
He was a a navy seal.
In Vietnam.
Say no more.

They captured
and tortured him,
He died.
I know you
didn't want to die
Dad.

There was a package
he sent home.
It had a weapon
in the parcel.
Mom did not care  
She just missed him.
and kept it behind
their wedding pictures

I got his baseball hat
Not much
but it was his.
It  had navy seal in the back.
And to be truthful  it was  
my  most
treasured  possession.

I was the **** victim
of the. Bullies  at high school
they  tormented me
and beat me up
Even as I
was kicked and beaten
I held onto that hat.

Revenge is sweet they say
But I was black and kind of quiet.
I  just took their beatings
But they never
got that hat.

One white girl liked me.
I don't know why
She held me to her breast
after the beatings.
And if I knew what love was
I would say I loved her.
I think.

I got into the fight
with the  bad bully.
He was big and unforgiving
But I tried
and I got in a lucky punch.
It floored him
I guess it contained
All the pent up
hate and abuse.
And made it one punch.

They came to our house that night
Mom threatened
to call  the police.
But they shot her twice.
I knew she was dying
She whispered
with the last breath

Don't. seek revenge
my son
seek forgiveness
I had heard that in the bible
class somewhere.
But the burn
scorched  my soul

I went to his house
The revolver from
dads final package.
Gave me strength.
And courage.

Then he came to door
And he saw me
I am sorry man
so ******* sorry
he wept

I tried to pull the trigger
But I couldn't
His father appeared
behind him
**** that ******* ******
he shouted

but his son grabbed
this firearm
From my frozen hand.
I couldn't  pull that.
Trigger anyway.

He shot his father
the gun remained
in his hand
as his father
died in front  of us.

Four years later

Its the christening  of
my beautiful  daughter.

The white girl and me
Decided
we belonged  together.
Despite the difference
In our skin tones.

I whispered to her
I am so happy darling.
I think
I will love  you forever

She kissed our child
On her forehead
then kissed me
On my lips.

Just a quick
I know honey kiss.

The bully
that used to be.
held my baby girl.
Over the font.

He kissed her
head softly.
.but what are godfathers
Supposed  to do.

And in the distance
I could hear my Mom
She said softly
As always.
Don't. seek revenge
my son
seek forgiveness

And as we hugged together
My former bully
and now friend
Held each other
free of the bigotry
And hate of our past.
Then somewhere
in a heaven
Yet unproven.

A nice lady
that happened
To be my mom.
Whispered
See I told you
it it would
All work out,