Indian blanket
hanging there on the wall
taken with the colours
the idea
of first nations art
thinking
can I afford this?
& her eye
is different than mine
pulling at the corner
& there
the label reads
made in china
so no
we didn’t buy
label
mary anning found me
I try to move amongst them
become part of the group
& end up almost despair
in tears of frustration
not understanding the what
of what is going on
I thought we were here to do X
I wanted to do that
learn all of that
but that seems not enough
for these people here
they need to gain status
set up an elite
a them & us situation
& I feel too keenly
the them label fitting too tight
not part of their clique
& all I wanted
was to do X
instead to only
feel failure again
clear instructions:
label them from the outset
as crazy misguided
even better some kind of ‘ist or ‘ism
& from then on
is almost as good
as putting fingers in your ears
& singing nanana can’t hear you
glue the label on tight
& you don’t have to listen
regard anything they have to say
& better still
you get to bully them
feel good & righteous about doing that
treating them as not right
disregard their humanity
rights to their own opinion
safe on your own high moral ground
rinse & repeat
ad infinitum
neilbenbow 