Poem - Walk A Line

[kokopelle]

“Walk A Line” was inspired by a Tumblr posting about the pitfalls of passing.


Walk A Line

Passing asks for time to freeze
before harsh censure is released
upon the ones that masquerade
hoping that the veil remains
a state of fear is ever present
echoes of the larger group
in alarm they’d badly act
abuse exacted in response.

Highly functioning is a term
for the life that suffers same
as the one without the goal
of seeming normal in the world
biding time is done at risk
of losing self within the mess
when on the sly the fake is real
normal done is normal lost.

Cages are built to house
those who deem to live within
with disguises that may slip
when disclosure risks their close
losing being or ending job
pushed out of home by family
all of these may come to pass
when revelation destroys a life.

Liberty is assumed by those
who stand outside, looking in
seeing privilege as the path
as freedom gained and self gone
to find a place for a short time
without oppression they then find
passing people walk a line
between themselves and the pit.

© 2017. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20170919.