Aka The colonizer and the colonized

Those in power
find it easier
to diagnose people
of some mental illness
rather than hear
their actual stories,
acknowledge the speaker’s truth
and understand that social injustice,
racism, and other “isms” are real.

The colonizer will always
blame the colonized
because the powerful
are always right.

Institutionalizing society’s
“trouble makers”
is a tool to bury truth
and let the majority believe
the illusion that race and gender
determine genius.

Some people repeat
their stories
because they know
those in power
will not hear
their stories,
forever committed
to contradicting truths,
to silence, to ensure
that racial nationality,
religious superiority,
reign.

 

Janet Cormier is a painter, writes prose and poetry, and performs comedy. Janet prefers different and original over pretty. She loves collecting stuff, but cleaning not so much. Janet also talks to strangers. A lot. Her column appears weekly on Oddball Magazine.