Oh, Mr Darcy,
You truly are
One of my first and longest loves.
Those dark, brooding eyes,
And sparse words did his tongue speak.
I always did hold you up as
My favourite,
But I have come to find out,
not too handsome to tempt me.

Help me design my garden of life
Full of iris, crocus, and lily
With daffodils that shine so bright
Like the sun of the greater deities.

Make me a path that curves around trees
Of stepping stone, wood chip, and moss
Varying in array of colors
Causing one's mind to venture in thought.

Make me a garden so rich in hue
That the sun will fight not to set,
Where merely viewing its beauty
All differences one will forget.

Make me a garden like people of the world,
All different in culture and view,
Contributing to the person I am
Without your prejudicial few.

A garden of only one color, it seems
Would be dull and so very alone.
I want my garden of life to be filled
With every color known.

They say speak your truth,
but only...
only if it doesn’t make others uncomfortable.
Can't smile it away.
They say speak up,
but only...
only if you aren’t too loud.
They say walk proudly and tall,
but only...
only if you don’t attract too much attention.
Can't smile it away.
Though I am tired...
Tired of listening to their empty advice.
You can change for so many people...
you no longer recognize yourself...
until there is nothing left of your true form.
Can't smile it away.
The truth of the prejudices that still exist,
the harmful biases,
the injustices which live in our world,
are not erased, simply...
simply because some choose to ignore them.
Can't smile it away.
The misogyny which exists in our world,
cannot be tucked under the rug,
it can’t be smiled away.
These sentiments aren't meant to bring joy,
these words are not fragile,
these words are not beautiful,
this is just me,
speaking about the truth,
and not feeling ashamed to speak it.
Can't smile it away.
There are still far too many places...
places where women must fear...
fear to walk down their own street,
ever watchful of the hands...
hands of those who feel...
feel their bodies are not their own,
because they are women,
because of their gender.
Can't smile it away.
There are still far too many who do not realize,
that many generations of slavery and oppression,
have left their mark on current generations,
and that hate still lives.
Can’t smile it away.
There are still far too many prejudices which poison the minds,
of those who fear...
fear a religion foreign to their own,
and too many wars are still waged,
in the name of religion.
And when does it end?
You can’t smile it away.

-Rhia Clay

Humans, so weird, yet so intricate and fragile,
The horrors they've caused, so vile!
Some see the world as a black and white tile,
That simple, that closed-minded, is how they think,
Their traditions, simply the link,
That stops others from putting a ring,
On their same-gender lover,
Force them to put on a stupid old cover,
Can't let a person love another,
Oh buy you would rather,
You would rather snap at her,
For loving some other,
Her.

They find you inferior, because you're you,
Escaped the binds they never could,
So they create fetters of hate,
And put you in them, why?
Because it isn't "normal,
Even though they're even though they're caged by belief,
That they're in the right,
When really, they're shooting the wings of
Lovebirds,
Just trying to love,
their
Lover.

But it's fine, dear lovebirds of the world,
Their "right and wrong", will be hurled,
What was once, absurd,
Your love, always undeterred,
The word, it'll be bettered,
For all to live in peace,
The hate, will cease,
Cease to even merely exist,
All of those homophobes, sexists,
Will lose their hate,
And we'll live in a world,
Peaceful, in harmony, and without
Prejudice.

They yell at you

Avoided like a plague

But you never did anything wrong

  

Because they're blind

Like a deer in headlights

Oblivious to the inside

  

You're just a fox

That's all they see

And that, they can never look past

  

Your light that shines

Never given a chance

Never given a chance to prove yourself

  

B e c a u s e   y o u ' r e   j u s t   a   d i r t y   f o x

Black Robe
High Bench
Pursed Lips.

Furrowed Brow
Hand to Chin
The Perfect Pose.

Letter of Law
Bias Hidden
Masked Indifference.

Walk the Mile
Tighten Straps
Pull the Lever.

So common for its ease,
Like feathers wandering in the afternoon breeze;
So trivial, lacking empathy,
Like humans subjugating nature.

So easy to deny knowledge,
Like fake news carried by the constant breeze;
So common, without understanding,
Like information without discernment.

Lacking empathy;
Respect is disregarded;
The other is excluded;
Vision is closed;
One's own interests are prioritized.

For unfounded beliefs,
Without seeing the facts
That reveal the subjectivity
Of the view of one or of many,
Which, nevertheless, does not define
Wisdom, knowledge, discernment –
So relative, even through reason.

Like cattle in false pens,
They prefer to be guided
Rather than seek and uncover,
To think, test, and define.
Belief, prejudice
Or time?
The misinformation of people is maintained,
Trapped by the interests of certain exclusive groups.

And I, thinking,
Without destination,
Reflecting on myself,
Confused,
Spreading uncertain concepts,
Certain knowledges,
Modified.

Exotic flair dances in screaming hues,
Sensual stench beguiles with spiced odour.

Welcomed strangers crave tamed adventures,
Staring spiteful, shocked at ordinary extremes.

Mother, limit your daughter – in the name of love.
Father, torpedo your son – in service to the family.
Family, direct the daughters – for the call of their fathers.
Love, sabotage the sons – for the sake of their mothers.

Religion, preaching freedom, chains
its limbs to bones and brainstems.
Shadi, rupee, social media
replace Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva.

Exquisite journeys in a shadowed dream.
What a thrill – At such a bill.

Tolling hungrily the hollow bell
High in pious belfry hung.

Lofty words as pride dictates
From deep in cavernous dwellings
To keep a doctrine as one
Keeps hope of the future
Locked in a chest --
The ritual of past and present notions.

Receding line at edge of seaboard
Feeding on dry land the watery grave
Filled with borrowed sentiments adrift.
The open sea -- open sores of prejudice

Cut off from inlets of vision and reason.
Preserved as Lenin's body under glass.

A man was lynched yesterday
He didn't even have a name
His only crime
Was not being white
For this he got himself hanged

A man was beat yesterday
Beat for having dark skin
How dare he be from
Somewhere different than us
That is a cardinal sin

A woman was ***** yesterday
By a man she thought was a friend
***** in her home
Then left beaten and alone
Screaming inside her own head

A man was shot yesterday
For loving different than you
Shot in the head
And left for dead
His partner's heart now broken in two

Is this the country we want?
I thought this was the land of the free
Gunned down for love
Or strung up for nothing
Doesn't sound free to me

Why not just let people live?
We're all different in our own way
But cut us you'll see
You bleed just like me
We're not so different at the end of the day