A Plea for Sanity

 Who Am I and Why Do You Hate Me? ©

I’m fourteen years old, and I’m not sure who I am but I’ve felt your hate.

I love cars and motors and my favorite color is pink.

Is that why you hate me?

My hair is long and has streaks of red, gold, and green in it.

Is that why you hate me?

My Dad is Jewish.

Is that why you hate me?

My Mom is Christian.

Is that why you hate me?

I like boys but have never kissed one.

Is that why you hate me?

I like girls but I have never kissed one.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure about gender orientation.

Is that why you hate me?

My brother came back from overseas with a Muslim bride.

Is that why you hate me?

I love my cousin and he loves me and he loves guns.

Is that why you hate me?

My Dad’s brother and his wife voted for Biden.

Is that why you hate me?

My Mother’s sister and her husband voted for Trump.

Is that why you hate me?

Puppies and kittens make me tear up.

Is that why you hate me?

I enjoy karate and throwing people to the mat.

Is that why you hate me?

I’ve gone target shooting with my cousin.

Is that why you hate me?

I won’t ever hunt; I won’t shoot at animals.

Is that why you hate me?

I love to read.

Is that why you hate me?

I go to a school that has banned books.

Is that why you hate me?

I’ve read many of the books that my school has banned.

Is that why you hate me?

I want to learn history, the good parts and the bad.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure what WOKE means.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m not sure what Critical Race Theory is.

Is that why you hate me?

I don’t understand why BLM scares people.

Is that why you hate me?

My second cousin is a cop and I love him.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m Caucasian.

Is that why you hate me?

My brother-in-law is Black.

Is that why you hate me?

I’m sure you have found a reason to hate me.

I don’t hate you.

I don’t know you.

I don’t understand why you hate me.

I do understand that hate is contagious.

Hate likes to surround itself with more hate.

Hate is a dark path that spirals to nowhere good.

I don’t hate you; I don’t know you.

I don’t know me and I sure don’t hate me.

I confuse myself.

I perplex me.

I sometimes despair over myself.

I don’t know who I am,

YET

I will,

I will find myself and I will do it without labels.

I will do it without hate.

I will not hate you because I love me.

I can’t be me, filled with hate.

I can only become me by my soul being filled with love.

I don’t hate you.

I cry for you, your hate will destroy you.

I believe.

I believe that many people don’t know who they are.

I believe that it is sometimes hard to love yourself.

I believe that to find out who you are you must give up hate.

Giving up hate will free you to find yourself.

Don’t ban books.

Don’t ban flags.

Don’t bully.

Don’t shoot.

Don’t despair.

Don’t let your fear of someone different than you fill you with hate.

Letting your fears rule your life is bleak indeed.

I don’t know who I am.

YET

But I will.

I will do it without hate.

 

William G. Bentrim, I’m not fourteen, I’m old.  I lament over the overt hate that has been focused on our kids.  This free-form poem’s goal is to initiate some thought as to the damage hate is doing to this generation of children.