Scapegoating The Stranger Poem by DM W

The 'stranger' was sensed as a great menace
To ancient communities and still seems
To be today, wherever he or she
Is regarded as gypsy, foreigner or
Refugee. And if you happen to have
The great misfortune of abiding in
A small, petty -minded provincial town
Never ever refer yourself as an
Artist, a poet, or even a dreamer.
For any kind of difference or subtle
Deviation from the norm tends to
Be frowned upon. Just like in the Westerns:
' You aint from these parts are you boy? ! " It seems
That ignorance tends to breed like rabbits
In certain parts of our world. Enlightenment
Is sadly still a rare commodity.
With this in mind, the great writer and wit,
Mr. Oscar Wilde, once notably quipped
That: 'Society often forgives the
Criminal. But alas not the dreamer.'