White Friends

White Friends After awhile You don’t want to explain anymore You stop telling Cease being patient Close your eyes, hold your heart And run like the wind……… They call you narrow then, Call you “boy”, “him” Or don’t call you at all They want to know why You don’t get their jokes Or don’t see their humor Or no longer want to teach them how to respect you No longer want to hold their one hand While they punch you with the other Tired Turning your cheek Being invincible Being like granite Smiling all the while Within the stinging onslaught which your “friends” call Their innocent ignorance