White Privilege

is being able to wake up in America    
and not fear losing one's life    
because of their skin color—    
that is my privilege    
     
I thought I understood    
because I was bullied by whites    
for being an ignorant little bitch    
who played with black kids    
during recess in Mississippi      
     
I thought I recognized      
an acidic smell of racism      
on the breath of British children    
screaming, Yankee go home!    
in England    
     
I thought I swallowed      
the copper taste of inequality      
shoved down my throat      
because of nationality in Mexico    
     
I did not—and neither can you    
if you aren't black in America;    
     
but, you can learn problematic facts
which led to this eruption—      
dispel ingrained ignorance      
and fight the unjust reality      
     
that is White Privilege    
prevailing in this country    
~