I'D Be Rich! Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

I have never felt more examined,
Microscoped and discussed...
Than anytime in my life,
Than 'now'.

From thought process,
To how I digest my food...
To my beliefs and what I pray to,
As if I exist as a novelty.

Sometimes I feel,
That I am an animated mannequin,
For many.
And in 'some' folks eyes,
I can see the surprise when I speak...
With elocution, tone and diction intact.

And no where will I go,
Will I ever forget I am black.
Or...
Should I say African-American,
To be politically correct...
About the whole concept,
Of where folks' heads are at?

I have never felt more examined,
Microscoped and discussed...
Than anytime in my life,
Than 'now'.

And don't think it hasn't occurred to me,
That IF I carried a basketball...
AND tapped danced in a shopping mall.
I'd be RICH!
Even if I didn't have a clue,
As to what I was doing.
All I would have to do is to be entertaining.