all in the same storm?

racists look like THAT.
you know, with the flags and shit.
chanting, burning stuff

or the ones shooting
joggers, running for their lives
because blacks steal things

really can’t blame me.
comply with simple commands
and you’d be less dead

all in the same boat.
others say just the same storm.
clever semantics.

convenient, I say,
they in their boat, I in mine.
let’s just blame the storm

too easy to kill
from one boat to another
shoot, trim the sails. gone.

keep “them” from “my” boat
while “we” survive in “our” storm
I’ll help where “I” can

help to ease my pain
instead of digging deeper
throw money at it

pain of privilege
though I don’t feel it enough
my boat keeps me safe

the “better” of “us”
don’t just fight the race battle
we who are so woke

help the homeless gay
teen whose parents threw him out
cash buys needful things

needed, no doubt, but
money moves from boat to boat
some gets lost at sea

don’t get in “my” boat
I won’t get in “yours” either
we’ll find a new boat

when in the same boat,
hard to shoot, then smell the blood
hear the mother moan

when in the same boat,
hands together on the oars
gay ones next to straight

hatred flows both ways
don’t let yourself be deceived
you’ll fall off your horse

or out of the boat
churning waters – “us” and “them”
but soon, you will drown

I know what this means
I row with the shooter, too
and the “God hates fags” guy

one option, really.
choose to love or hate them all
you know the right one.

not an easy task
loving, that is. hate’s not hard
choose the harder road

the road less traveled
that will make all the difference
roads, boats, such a mess

mixing metaphors
other mixing is needed
mix me, you, then us

mix it to fix it
how many boats in the storm?
just one is enough