COLORLESS, YOU SEE: a poem of mine from 2002

(Originally written by me in August, 2002.)


THE MOSLEMS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
SITTING IN U.S. CELLS - WERE
ROUNDED UP UNDER NEW LAWS PASSED-
AND JAILED - WITHOUT CHARGES...

AND, WHERE ARE THEY NOW,
IN THIS "LAND OF THE FREE"? -

WHY THEY'RE SITTING IN JAIL -
INVISIBLE - 'COLORLESS', YOU SEE...

AND LATINOS WHO TRIED TO PASS
UNDETECTED THROUGH THE "BARBED WIRE"
GATE TO PROMISE, HOPE, AND LIBERTY -

WHERE ARE THEY? SOME ARE 'HERE';
SOME SENT BACK - AND SEVERAL SCORE
EACH YEAR, NEITHER 'HERE' NOR 'THERE' -

THEY ARE DEAD -

AND NOW ARE 'COLORLESS', YOU SEE...

AND A 'GAY YOUNG MAN'
EAGER TO BEFRIEND--
FINDS 'PALS' TO BREAK HIS MONOTONY -

GOES RIDING ON A COUNTRY ROAD -
IS BEATEN UP AND LEFT FOR DEAD...

ALL SPLAYED OUT ON BARBED WIRE -

WHY, YES, HE IS DEAD - AND NOW HE'S 'FREE'
BECAUSE HE IS 'COLORLESS', YOU SEE...

AND MANY A MAN - AND WOMAN - TOO
SITS IN SOLITARY ON A 'TRUMPED UP' CHARGE
OR ON 'DEATH ROW' WAITING FOR THE FINAL 'CHARGE' -

TO PUT IT MILDLY, "FEELING BLUE" -
NO CONJUGAL VISITS, NO LETTERS FROM HOME...
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN 'THE LAND OF THE FREE'?-

HE/SHE IS ONE OF THE NAMELESS:

ONE OF THE 'COLORLESS', YOU SEE.