Missed Opportunities by Randall Stephen Hall ©
I see and hear your culture.
I cannot know your culture as you know it.
It has not been my experience.
I haven’t been allowed to share it.
But, it has been the same for you.
On that we are equals.
I get the feeling that
You might be happy if I went away
But there is nowhere else for me to go
For, believe it or not
Once I step off this Island of Ireland
Everyone sees and hears me
They accept me, as Irish.
How about you?
What do you hear?
What do you see?
What is it that makes you
So uncomfortable with me?
Just my label?
For we both have one.
If I have one
You have one too.
On that we are equals.
I can’t throw away\My early life
Like I should be ashamed of myself
And every cultural experience
That I ever had, that is different
From yours.
Why should I beat myself up about that?
And if I should do this to myself
Then should you do that too?
But there isn’t the same pressure on you.
On that, are we equals?
We should not have two completely
Different forms of equality
On this island.
Should we not just have one?
If this is how things are to be
Just you abusing me
About being a lesser being
In my own country for not being
As Irish
Mainly due to politically religious dogma . . .
Then we are at an impasse.
If this is the truth of the matter
Then you need to shatter your own one way mirror
And see me, your other half
Reflecting back to you.
If you don’t get it . . .
That YOU DON’T GET IT
I can’t show you how to see past yourself.
You have to see it, and embrace it for yourself.
Moments of crisis bring us together.
Reveal our true humanity, beyond the labels
And the uneven tables.
Corona Virus has made us catch our breath.
You could Waken up.
You could waken up
From your dream
Of who you think you are
To the reality, the un-boxing
Of your real self.
Equally Irish, one vision.
Equally Irish, no divisions.
Equally Irish, tough decisions.
The realisation that, beyond the walls
Much of our collected past
Was just a load of . . .
Missed opportunities.
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