White Male

Sean Taylor 1968 (Georgia)



I’ve studied and examined the
Culture and history of others,
Even imagined, or tried to imagine,
Myself in their places.
At times, I thought I could
Hear the cheers, smell sweet freedom,
“Free at last, free at last,
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”
The photograph is a still frame in my memory,
A Time memoir, a pictoral legacy, but
I never saw the hero crumble and fall,
Never felt the blood spatter on my shirt.
Though I can recreate the scenes like ancient newsreels,
They are empty, insubstantial, without the sensations
To make them my own—
If I am honest, I have to admit:
I’ve never felt the sting of a master’s whip,
Cared for the yellow bastard children
My wife bore of a white man’s curious lust, nor
Heard Jim Crow’s disembodied voice
Assign me to a seat, or send me around the corner
To drink water from a colored fountain.

© Sean Taylor
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Submitted by seanhtaylor on May 20, 2021

Modified on March 05, 2023

47 sec read
7

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXAXXXBBXXXXXXXXXAXXCA C
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 853
Words 159
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 22, 1

Sean Taylor

Sean Taylor writes short stories, novellas, novels, graphic novels and comic books (yes, Virginia, there is a difference between comic books and graphic novels, just like there's a difference between a short story and a novel). In his writing life, he has directed the “lives” of zombies, super heroes, goddesses, dominatrices, Bad Girls, pulp heroes, and yes, even frogs, for such diverse bosses as IDW Publishing, Gene Simmons, and The Oxygen Network. He also posts religious and political content from time to time. But not nearly as much as writing content. Between horror movies and cartoons, that is. Visit him online at www.thetaylorverse.com and www.badgirlsgoodguys.com (or follow his faith blog at www.filthyragsanddirtycups.blogspot.com). [He, Him] more…

All Sean Taylor poems | Sean Taylor Books

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