POETRY | SELF
Don’t Touch Me!
Standing in the crowd
I felt so alone
Lost in thoughts
Wondering why I am there
Taking all these pains
Strange faces cringing
Blank looks at my dark skin
When she shouted
“Don’t touch me!”
I felt like dirt
Falling into the cracks
Beneath my shivering feet
Breaking into a cold sweat
I apologized in a soft voice
But I lost my peace
These things still exist
When you reach out in love
You are shunned for your looks
For the first time
I cursed the creator
Tears spurting out
Realizing it was only me
Who received her repulsion
Was my touch inappropriate?
No, a gentle pat on her shoulder
To apologize for a confusion
But her hateful words
Killed me at that moment
I saw the deep hatred in her eyes
My soul still stirred-up
Searching for answers
Maybe I was wrong
I was too friendly
I may stop touching people
This world is too hardened for love
Maybe she is living her past
Some dark things from her childhood
Or I may resemble the devil to her
Next time, I will be more conscious
For now, let me say a prayer for her
Let there be peace and healing
Let love bloom again in her heart
Love that sees the souls beyond skin color
Let there be light in her spirit.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Happened to me at a group performance event last week.
I love to believe it was not my skin color or racism.
It was her past bad experience. Let there be healing.
Let there be love and light!
