I Failed

I didn’t say the words

I didn’t do the deeds

I didn’t oppress anyone

I didn’t degrade anyone

I didn’t use race 

To hold anyone down

Still, I failed

I didn’t ask to be born white

I didn’t ask to be born male

I have a race card

I have a gender card

While I didn’t use them actively

I did use them passively

Every time 

I let my race work for me

I let my gender work for me

I played my cards

With or without trying

I left my cards on the table

I didn’t let race hinder relationships

This hasn’t changed even today

I love and have loved equally

My friends are an eclectic bunch

Even in the face of these facts

Still, I failed

Every time I listened silently

To an off color or racist joke

I failed

Every time I didn’t defend

Even the passive racism I encountered

I failed

Cain: “Am I my brother's keeper?”

God: “The voice of your brother's blood 

cries continually unto me from the ground.”

I failed

© Ron Simpson Jr. 

June 6, 2020