Kathy Wade offers the following poem in response to my February dispatch. –BLR

White Privilege

It’s up to me to loosen my grasp on my stockpile
of superiority, spread equity around, list the privileges
I take for granted: a seat on the bus, safety in a crowd,
a front-row ticket, a first-rate education, the absence of fear,
degrees, job offers and promotions, a secure future,
equity, deeds, titles, public pools drinking fountains.

I want to see for myself the lynching museum, visit
the Antebellum South, but steer away from flowered
planation parlors. I need to take a knee at the doors of
low-slung cabins –– if any still exist –– where slaves
(beautiful, bright) were born, beaten, broken.

I must admit my parents’ black-faced minstrelsy,
it is my inheritance to own. I must apologize and
vow to change my advantaged mindset
before I can even hope to change my heart.

I vow to live believing we are all equal human creatures,
promising to march when I can, helping others
into the virtual voting booth. Beginning again today
I will listen to hard truths, I will act as if I believe
all politics is local and begins with me.

I will stop saying: … but for the grace of God….
This is not about God. 
– Kathy Wade

Kathy Wade’s poetry has been published in various journals related to the teaching of writing, as well as Shelter in This Place: Meditations on 2020. For two years, she was Poet Laureate for her Cincinnati neighborhood of Walnut Hills. She published her novel Perfection in 2018. Her first collection of poetry, Every Now Is A Yes, was published this year.