Activist Poetry Style

This is the third poem I've posted this evening.  They've all been online at Creatively Emma but as that's something I've abandoned and is going soon I'm moving them here.

Originally written 3rd February 2008 about the incidents referred to in my post "Save yo' drama for yo' mama"

Activist Poetry Style

 it’s not my problem

it’s not my responsibility

it’s not my job

or so you tell me

well, guess what?

dealing with your attitude

your disphobia

your ableism

educating you

banging my head against a brick wall

trying desperately to help one of my people

to show that we matter

we care

we are part of society

and

that we are people

the same as you

shouldn’t be MY problem

shouldn’t be MY responsibility

shouldn’t be MY job

but people like you

make it like that

i hate that

but i refuse to let my people suffer

or to suffer in silence

when i can fight

fight

fight

and so

it is MY responsibility

it is MY job

and

it is MY problem.

Until such time

as i no longer hear those words

and

i’m not waiting

20 minutes

to be helped

off the train

and my people don’t

spend an hour

lying on the floor

because no one will help

them up

and

i’m sorry

my wheelchair

causes a

problem

for

you

but

i don’t

really care

disability rights

it’s not your problem

your job

or your responsibility

it is mine

but

it shouldn’t be

it should

belong

to all of us.

want me

to

shut up?

listen

to

me

help

me

learn

from

me

and

MY

people

equality

disability

rights

and

awareness

everyone’s

problem.