The Slap

2025 Human Decency

I guess, I’ve always been political
Oh, I didn’t call it that
But my soul was always willing
To take a stand

I see my younger self
Arms akimbo, foot tapping
Teeth clenched, eyes glaring
At the inept parenting

They tried to church it out of me
But nowhere there did I find
The strength of my righteous grandmother
With her heart of gold

I felt the discord emotionally
Long before I understood intellectually
I noticed the cronyism and blind eye
Of the preachers and police

Wink, wink, nod, nod
As they patted me on the head
When I asked the hard questions…
And stood my ground

Or the occasional slap across my face
When their shame was showing
And I pointed it out
And they couldn’t hide

I eventually learned to fawn
Or use humor or just keep quiet
It was safer to hide my disdain
And create a sweet, compliant mask

But, in third grade—I started reading
Betsy Ross, Dolly Madison, Amelia Earhart
Virginia Dare, Clara Barton,
Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Then later—more seriously
Finding my beloved grandmother
In the pages of deep thinkers
My soul was happy

I guess I was political
When I joined Green Peace and Sierra Club
And worked at a domestic violence shelter,
And Planned Parenthood and the Wildlife Rehab Center

I guess I was political
When I fought for endangered species
And stood up to bullies and
Bad faith actors in the medical field

I guess I’ve always been political
So I’ll do what I do and fight
For basic human decency standards
And brace for the slap…

2025 bjb