Planting Seeds Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

With or without money.
From parents to get.
To demand in hand.
Or left to them inherited.
Children who grow,
Knowing no interest is taken...
In what they do or say.
Will find a way,
To make excuses...
For everything they do.
Even if attention is involved.
Performing an innocence,
Difficult to refuse.

And this act continues.
Throughout their adult lives.
Using deception.
They grow to know,
Or not realize...
The telling of lies.

Leaving 'children' like this,
Proud to plant,
Seeds of weeds everywhere.
From one generation,
To the next.
Growing hoping...
Their disguises,
Behind them to hide.
Go unrecognized.
Done to make allegations.
Placing blame to claim,
On others.
Intentionally to victimize.
With lies to legitimize,
The telling of them told.

'Hold on.
Dry your eyes.
I understand how it feels,
To be wrongly accused.
You say...
Even though you were seen,
Lighting a torch...
To a can filled with kerosene.
It was not you,
Who through that can...
Onto the roof,
Where your neighbor's home...
Once stood to firmly stand? ! '

'Yes...
I swear to you,
That was not me!
I only suggested it to a friend.
With a wish to recommend it! '

'And then...
What did you do? '

'I left. Went home.
I couldn't bear the thought,
Of being involved...
In such a foolish and cruel,
Thing to do to someone else.'

'Trust me.
I understand.
I have been accused,
And suspected.
For being too black.
Walking.
After midnight.
Smoking a cigarette! '

'Smoking a cigarette? '

'Yes.
I was accused of that.
While I was about to light it.
When someone drove by.
Stopped.
Saw what I was doing.
Then called the police.'

'What did the police then do? '

'They came.
Asked for my identification.
Then told me,
I could be arrested...
For disturbing the peace.
And gave to me,
A written warning.'

'I don't believe you.
What are you trying to say,
To me? '

'Some monkeys say,
What other monkeys...
Will prove to all monkeys,
What it is...
They are determined to do.