Crossed Wires

A family member of mine is really into genealogy and traced our lineage back to the early 1800’s. My great great grandmother was half African and half Native. She was born the year the Civil War ended. The older generations kept it a secret. The year before my grandmother died I pressed her about it and she finally admitted to me that “someone” in our family was African. I find it sad that she knew exactly who and wouldn’t say it. I can’t imagine what that was like for women to attend these balls, just to be gawked at. It’s so awful that “passing as white” meant a better chance in life. Everyone should have the same damn chance, no matter what.
Thank you for this very informative piece.

Thank you Eerie for the interesting comment. My wife is 1/16th Scottish, 15/16th German - and our respective fathers were fighting against each other in WWII?!? I find the whole thing of division by colour/race strange - but of course it's a convenient situation for those who love to divide-and-rule. Press a few buttons on the masses and off they go fighting each other. Sad - and tragic.

If we all had a genealogy test, we would all come to the realization that there is no such thing as "white"  ... it is so sad that our society thinks color makes one better than another .. rather than character... and that women were gazed on as something to lust after or own ... that hasn't changed much either
Excellent ink and share as always Josh

Appreciate your comment Jeje - and you're absolutely right,  - we all come from some original 'stock' as it were. "Somos todos humanos" as we say in Portuguese, "Wir sind alle Menschen" in German - I'm sure every culture has a deep-rooted similar view.

Josh, thank you for this stellar entry to the comp.

Honestly, the whole concept makes me cringe and gets by blood boiling.

Meanwhile, my older sister likes to make a big deal out of finding and adding blood relatives to some family tree she would sooner tap like a maple and bleed dry of money should anyone of them foolishly divulge their finances to her. A percentage of mental illness and narcissism runs through my veins.

Thank you Johnny for the comment.
Divide-and-rule, unfortunately, has stood the test of time and is still one of the basic mechanisms of how the few rule over the many. Time we stopped co-operating with their game, I think.
"Healing the family tree" from what's been passed down to us is no easy thing - as those who try to deal with it find out. But I've always instinctively felt that if I'd rather face it square on than run away and have it catch up on me unawares.

I love this examination of the blurry line between races. It illustrates the extent to which it is a human construction, ungoverned by any objective steadfast rules of science. Very nice.

Thank you for the comment Harry - and yes, you're spot-on right. It's a human construction just the same as things like 'we are separate from Nature' and 'all humans are financial maximisers'. Of course humans created science too but it seems to have run away with itself into an ideology, or even religion, leading to the atomisation of society.

What I enjoyed about this poem was the highlight of bloodlines, which was rampant in the south during slavery years.  In the inspirational poem, Hughes comes to terms with both sides; thus comes to terms with the past, as well as himself in current times.  This was a taboo topic back in the 30's, particularly down south. It's interesting to see which poem inspires each entrant, and the unique perspective they add.  Your attention to the detailed history was certainly appreciated, Josh.  I also liked that you adopted the same form/rhyme as 'Cross'—thus, closely emulating Hughes' style.

Well done and best of luck in the comp.    

Also, I added LangstonHughes to the themes, as Webmiss has already created it. She is creating the themes prior to the comps now, and the actual page will generate after 8 tags—which you were No 8.  Hopefully it will generate within 24 hours or so.

Thank you Ahavati. I just happened to have an unread biography of Langston so it was an opportune time to read it - and that's how I got to connect with the poem "Cross" - and the background detail from the book gave me the basis for my poem.
Sorry I missed putting the #LangstonHughes in the themes section. Having re-read what you said now I understand how it 'works'. Anyway, thanks to whoever added it on my behalf.
Have a nice week-end, Josh.

It was no problem, Josh. I'm just glad your themes are open so it could be added! The page should generate within 48 hours after reaching 8 tags ( which we now have )!  

Very reminiscent of Langston stance on the issues of the day. I always enjoy hearing your spoken word Josh.
Good luck in the comp.

Thank you Wally for commenting on my writings again. Hope you're doing good and have a nice week-end. Josh.

Well done Josh.



hugs,
buddhakitty.

Thank you BK for the read again - have a nice week-end. Josh.

the 4-line/s stanza formatting used here & the second/fourth line rhyming serves this well--so often a dark dark subject can be rendered all the darker by serving it up this way. the contrast between the 'lightness' of delivery' and awful topic shakes the brain up some.

kudos, josh

Thank you Butters, and for the RL. The simple format lends itself across the scale from children's nursery rhymes - to serious topics - a bit like a child identifying the emperor has no clothes. That's also why I used it on my poem The Day The Drone Dropped In For Tea. Your right, contrast shakes one awake.

This is an interesting topic, sub races, I really like how you translated Hughes frustration with the subject and where he fit in to the 'equation' (I just used a word referencing that human definiton by technology or science, there are so many of those its hard not to), anyway, its a great poem and 'Cross' is such an exemplary one to write about :)

Thank you PR. I was lucky I had an unread short biography of Langston sitting on my bookshelf - so that gave me the impetus when I cam a cross a section about these names for 'subdivisions' of blood percentages. It's not only crudeness beyond belief (fitting easily with the scientific paradigm and language divisions, as you say) but also perpetuates divide-and-rule, tried and trusted over 1000s of years. Anyway, glad you liked it, Josh.