Jesus Weeps Over Bible Belt

I collect metaphors,
taste fate,
watch crayon strokes
melt from childhood.

I am growing gray from
seeing bigotry give
a discount on hate.

Jesus weeps over Bible Belt.

©Susie Clevenger 2015

I chose Kenia's Wednesday Challenge 5/16/2012
and the style of poet, Oktay Rifat.

Huck Finn's Restaurant & Sports Bar receipt (WWL-TV)

Huck Finn's Restaurant & Sports Bar in New Orleans gave four African American women this receipt which included a typed racial epithet. It angers me and breaks my heart. Racism unfortunately continues to thrive.





Comments

Sanaa Rizvi said…
Quite a magnificent piece of work! :D
Loved it!
xoxo
Anonymous said…
NO. WAY.
Anonymous said…
It does get old, doesn't it? On a similar note, this might interest you: https://rlavalette.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/just-another-christmas-shopper-2/
cosmos cami said…
Awful receipt!
The poem is clever and powerful. Well done take on the prompt and your subject
brudberg said…
How bigotry can be painted with zealous religiosity makes me sick wherever I meet it. To me that's a contradiction in itself.
Vandana Sharma said…
It is heart breaking to see racial comments or behaviour , though we live in a developed world but still the nidset is millions of years old.
Kerry O'Connor said…
I read about this incident just this morning and shook my head in disbelief. There is no place for bigotry in the modern age, much less for public vocalization of personal prejudice.
Anonymous said…
The racism lives on, perhaps with a more hidden face in some quarters, but deeply, maybe more awfully so for the deceit. I wish Jesus would take that Bible belt and give the local unrepentants a good whippin'.
Jim said…
Unforgiveable. You told the problem well. Thanks for the details too.
..
That last line is a perfect, brilliant and arresting summing up.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Jesus weeps indeed. I have a poem saying just that in my drafts folder. Epithets on receipts boggles my mind. The person should be fired, at minimum.
Sara McNulty said…
Excellent poem, Susie. Wrapped up beautifully as well.
Hannah said…
About your note...that's so sickening. Truly. Your poem captures well the outrage that turns to weeping. Well done, Susie.