Photo by James Wainscoat on Unsplash

W.A.S.P.

Yes, I am a WASP;
yes, we are the kind that stings.

My family tree has roots
on Plymouth Rock, though

I don’t know how a tree
has roots in a rock,

Maybe under a rock, maybe
destroying a rock.

Yes, I am a WASP and
yes we are the kind that stings

and for centuries that is
what we have done;

but when I see a person
a brown or black,

a not-WASP I want to say
I want to stop stinging.

Maybe it doesn’t help
maybe I cannot change it

Maybe I cannot heal the
welts and scars from our stings,

But when I see you I can say
I’m sorry.

David Rinaldi