You'Re Nobody Until Poem by Jim Boone

You learn to think for yourself.
Nobody can be ‘for' us on any
Level who is ‘against' us in so
Many political and religious ways.

The savior and taker of human lives,
Who was about to die, unknowingly,
Found a private place to weep
Each time one of his men was killed,
Saying, 'Every man I kill, the farther
Away from hope I feel.' Each person
You wrong, blatantly or thoughtlessly,
The farther away from understanding
‘Hope' and foreword motion you become.

When I was a child, I was so ‘different'
That every male who encountered me saw
An opportunity to exercise a perverse side
Of his personality without fear of outcome.
Clyde and Lorene, the M&D, were so
Accustomed to turning ‘a blind eye' or a
‘Deaf ear', that the predators had easy and
Unprotected access to Jimmy-me.

They convinced me, on some level, that
I was undeserving of their, or anyone's
Love and so I gave none to them; doubted
Its possibility for me from any source.
But in the US Army, I found total acceptance
Is a guy thing, without anyone else to impress
Or pander to. Then in Houston, Texas, in the
1960's, I spent two decades of fabulous friend-
Ship/kinship time, enjoying life as we were
Meant to; as only we could, under the straight
Eyes of the vocal, ‘moral' majority.

Now those who could be my ‘kids' and ‘grandkids'
Want the right to marry the love of their life
Just like anyone else. It's something about that
Old line of 'liberty and justice for all'. God
Help the ‘naysayers' to choke on the hate.

Your nobody until you learn to think for
Yourself. What momma may say; especially
What poppa/daddy may say must be blocked
If you are ever to become one of those kids/
Children who grew into his and her ‘own'
By education, faith and focus to the good of
All concerned. Respect them, but please don't
Emulate them or give up on your self-worth..

Every time you Vote, ask yourself if that mark
Of empowerment will leave the future of those
You will never know stronger and more open.
There are many facets to human life. Be one of
The lights that illuminates all of them, right here
And right now, with hope for tomorrow. Imagine.