by
Lorraine Goodison
How can it suddenly end?
How can a friendship which has
Lasted through countless agonies
Suddenly die?
My heritage made no difference to me.
I had not thought
It would matter
To you.
You look at me with naked hurt in your eyes,
And again I feel the pain.
You ask me why, and I cannot answer.
Can you not understand my reasons?
To be treated as equal.
That has been my goal, and you did,
Till now.
Does a name, a title, really matter?
Does the man behind the name not count?
I speak to you of my double life,
And I see you understand.
Now you see my life
Through my eyes.
And know.
Infinite Diversity...
A beautiful concept
But what happens
When no-one understands it?