The vitriol that some white people spit into the sky
Toxic enough to make the sea recede
And the sea does ; friends of color, the only people I know
In quiet subtlety, in swings of a pendulum
Chip away in reverse, build a wall bit by bit

Gaps of empty air separate me from you, five feet apart
And I glance down
Rail fingernails along my flesh, the red inside me is finally out, don't you see?
Scrub my skin a darker color, anodize titanium

I know culture is beautiful and I love it all
but if it means I can't spend time with the people I care about then I have to ask
Is it worth it?

I just want to sit a night
With a friend
Lying back
Nothing but white noise in between, even that fizzling out of existence
Dear god if there is one and dear you if you can listen
Let us see the same god damned ceiling