A plain clothes policeman in an unmarked car

Makes a bust at the city park.

An intoxicated youth falls out of a sedan,

A lanky young black man whose earring shines,

Green, bright orange, then red to green again,

With a backdrop of blue light

And police siren.

A older gentleman is being cuffed.

The red light district says “Go! Go! Go!”

But the green light from that right earring

Says, “Hmmmmmmmmmmm.”

And Mama’s had enough

Of old men getting her son drunk and high

And taking advantage of him.

If he’s gay, that’s okay with her,

But she feels he deserves to be loved

And respected for who he is,

And she will respect him

Til he can feel it 

And make it real for himself.

-jenn