The Traveler
I am more than brown skin
Black hair
Brown eyes
With a slight tilt
I am more than rice and fish
Son of immigrant parents
Island born
Mainland raised
They say it’s five o’clock somewhere in the world
So I just sit here
Waiting for my drink
My numbing agent
My escape from all that is real
Nibble on some peanuts
Maybe a banana or two
My mother always said I needed more potassium so better make that three
And since I’m a monkey anyway
might as well make that four
See…they used to call us monkeys, you know
Little brown ones at that
I am stranger
Foreign land dweller
But I belong
I am here
Pioneer
Innovator
Citizen
Tax paying civilian
Working as hard as the next person
But I will not conform
I will not shuck and jive
For your entertainment
I will not be him
Or her
Or them
I’ll simply be me
And I will not be Christian for the sake of religion
I will not put on a show so you can consume yourself into churchianity debt
See…I am Christian
But I’m defined more by Jesus
than I am doctrine
And, let me just say,
I am also frustrated
I am frustrated by the exclusivity of the church
The place where foreigners
Strangers
Immigrant land dwellers
… (unfinished thoughts)
… (unfinished thoughts)
I am handsome
At least I am to my wife
And maybe to my mom
I am gardener
Day worker
Office assistant
I am police officer
Fire fighter
Postal worker
I am barista
Hipster beard and all
I am teacher
Senator
Homemaker
I am president
I am here
I am home
And we are here to stay
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