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I wrote this when I was 18, a long time ago!

For one minute and this is right
erase the fact that you are white
Now your skin is the color black
just pretend this is not an attack

You grew up in a place called slum
and white people think youre a bum
The dirty name calling stings your pride
but there is nowhere to run and hide

Your only son is living to die
while white people are living a lie
Your son comes home in a rage
now carefully turn the tattered page

The boys face is caked with mud
his battered body is covered with blood
Hes using a four letter word
one that is so often heard

Your catatonic daughter cant be seen
she will always be forever fourteen
She met up with a group of boys
doing their thing to get their joys

Her innocence is eternally gone
now tell me is there anything wrong?
Shes condemned to life in hell
tethered away in her private cell

Your husband go killed in a war
but no one knows what it was for
In a faraway village in Viet Nam
he died for a stranger they called Uncle Sam

A heros welcome he never saw
and those white folks were burning bras
Now go ahead with that four letter word
all of this sounds so absurd!

Snap your fingers now you are white
meet the enemy its code name Spite
Did you enjoy the walk in my shoes?
Is your walk the same but with different hues?

Lets delete forever the four letter word
it is too often use and heard
Its not what you think its not too late
The abusive four letter word is
HATE

copyright Brenda M Weber 2004