Seeds & Weeds - (prose)

Prejudice plants its seed in the shadows of the brain,
but unlike nature's trees, it needs darkness to sprout.
The sprouting seed is like a weed reaching down into the heart to plant its roots there.
Weeds can be so hard to kill and, because they get such a firm grip on our hearts,
so stubborn and painful to remove.
Pulling them out never gets the whole weed,
It just makes the lawn look nice for a little while.
People are forgetful of the small lessons in life;
To get the weed completely out so that it does not grow back,
digging a little farther down, to start a little earlier, to stop it from growing.
People must be educated on more than just why hatred is wrong,
but also where it comes from and how to look inward to spot the roots.
Once you can see that far down, purge them with the strongest weed killer of all, love.
With great conviction, you must be honest with yourself as well.
There is no room for denial, no tolerance for falsely rationalizing
what kinds of prejudice we will leave the roots for un-plucked.
Because they are like a viral cancer, they not only grow,
they also can transform into other shadows of hate.
You could say, "OK, I won't hate other races or religions, but damn those gays”
but in the end you will not have done anything but fool yourself
into believing you're a better person when you are not.
Don't close the curtains at the bottom of your heart and hope that no one notices.
Others may only be able to see the surface of your heart,
but you have the ability to look underneath, to know your true feelings.
Open your heart completely, let the light shine on the seeds that require darkness,
shadow seeds like people who open umbrellas and rub on sunscreen
so they can sit outside on a sunny day and not get burned.
The seeds of hatred will burn when you see the light
and allow your heart to become submerged in truth.
The seeds are everywhere, always looking for a way into your thoughts.
It's not so easy to keep those thoughts from taking root.
But if you are aware of them, if you feel them teasing your mind
and know their motivation runs deeper than being planted in your brain,
you can cut them off before the lurking in the shadows becomes a highway to your heart.