Let Me Start Over: a poem
poem by Robyn Hammontree
OK
let me start over
i’ll try to say less of what i mean
if you can just try to be less mean
to everyone
i’m sorry is that demeaning
to you
let me explain what i’m trying to do
how i’m placing words in just the right place
so as to not offend you when i tell you
how offensive you are
but you don’t let me get that far
before you tell me
talk less smile more
so
let me start over
let me go back to the slave ships and burn them down
before we crowd them with bodies
make them our hobbies
carry them across the sea
steal their history
ahem
let me start over
before we
hang them from trees
set them "free"
set them apart
steal their art
crush their hearts
pack them in cells
create this hell
on earth
god
let me start over
try to say this more nicely
so you don’t get so icy
when I explain privilege
let me wrap it in tissue
so when I bring up an issue
you won’t snap
make it sound like
hey
you didn’t do a thing
you just happened to bring
the rope
it’s not like you did it
but it’s not like you didn’t
damn
let me start over
before i
ask you hey
did you ever think about it this way
before i
ask you
when’s the last time
a black life mattered to you
let me start over