Until It Is Seen Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Since they don't think of themselves,
As great.
Their activities produce...
Far less than great things.
What's in the mind,
People will find around them!

You know...
Seek to find,
For validation!

I grew up around some 'Dare to Be Brilliant People'.
All we had was our minds.
And early acquaintances with a can opener!

We were challenged then to use our minds...
And look our best!
These were in schools,
Before the 'Let's Move Away From 'Them' Those Negros'...
Days.

I remember too well,
When they were implemented.
Like the beginning of the ending of something.
You know...
It's like the feeling one gets,
When someone else does something stupid.

And you want to reach out...
But the 'I'm Better Than You' look is given!
So one backs off,
And does their own thing.
One backs off,
And observes the mistakes occurring.
One backs way off...
When insults begin to be thrown!

And this is condoned by the environment!
And backed by government policies.
Introduced to protect the greed of thieves.

Since they don't think of themselves,
As great.
Not face to face.
Their activities produce...
Far less than great things.
What's in the mind,
People will find around them.
To distort their existence.
With an enhanced ignorance.

Like devastation one creates.
And choosing to describe it...
In a way that it does not affect,
A reflection of their insecurities.

And wishing they could move away from them...
Like something they find disgusting!
To invent their own demise.
One accepted as more trusting.
And one that can be disguised.

But those with early acquaintances,
With a can opener...
Had been 'conditioned' to observe these events,
From distances.
And with opened eyes.

In a rejected effectiveness!
That begins to disturb.
And peel slowly away,
To expose and pain the nerves.
Of those who choose their conflicts,
To battle on fields no longer appealing.
Comes back to affect those now desperate.
Those expressing a social and mental,
Defectiveness!
And banning together to protest...
Their 'upsetness' in regret!

And in a massive state of denial.

But these days 'from' them,
They can not push away.
Like visions on a TV set!
They can turn off and go play!

Today those 'visions' are there,
To show them how they came.
And how they got that way.
And an ugliness prepares to come to sit.
And visit!
Until it is seen.