So if I wave, will you wave back?
I mean, you’re white and I am black.
Would you just walk on by, quite grave,
Pretending not to see me wave?
The seat next to me on the train
Is empty, as commuters gain.
The seat stays empty. Why is that?
Do you think you’d be forced to chat?
But now let’s say you’re trapped by fire;
Your chances of survival dire.
A fireman finds you—you’ll survive;
Because of him you’re still alive.
But then you find out he is black;
Would you then tell him “Take me back!”
Or would you afterward behave
Quite happy to be first to wave?
© Richard Williams