A poem a day for 2013 - day 248 - Now

Today's poem of the day comes from a Facebook conversation I had with Karyn Carlo (whom I lovingly call, Karyn Carlo for president - but that's another blog post).

I posted this:

Dear churches, thank you for inviting me to perform at your (insert anniversary of something here). I really appreciate it. Here's the thing. I can no longer do this if your minister is just going to get up after me and preach hate. I just cannot. The good thing for you though, is that there are tons of poets who believe in the same kind of hate that you do. It sucks for me though.

Then I explained that my real frustration was with myself for not being as outspoken as I would have liked to have been in certain situations and that I felt guilt for receiving money/praise from institutions that promoted hate speech I speak against. 

She then asked me what I would say now. To which I responded (with a few lines edited) this: 

• 
  

We are all expressions of Source, Most, One, Creation, God

We are nothing without each other

His sin is not worse than hers, mine

What we spread and teach as sin is not how God sees sin 

It is shameful that I as a woman with only a high school degree 

Cannot walk into a kindergarten classroom and teach the alphabet 

But anyone can declare being called by God 

Then stand before a congregation and teach
Passed down poorly interpreted lies and hate
WAKE UP!