Blessings Frozen Within the Mistaken Community

Privilege is not the same as being Blessed—

this is a mistaken belief some hold

with health and wealth and opportunity

blinding us to Bless-ed Community.

Giving up privilege is not The Gift—

that is a mistaken belief some hold

when sharing might open more doors and break

the walls that separate and classify.

I once taught revolution, taught how to

speak truth to power in one’s own language

with pride—and then balked when my own students

used this power to dis-empower me.

Ah, well, I thought, they may as well learn how

teachers resist letting go, too, may as

well be broken the first time they try this—

I was not free to love unless I joined.

To share, to join, to change are the Blessings

doorkeepers like myself abjure in fear

of loss when all we have to lose are chains

that keep us locked in step with oppression.

Privilege becomes a Blessing when it's shared,

allowed to make a difference, to break down walls 

instead of children.  When it removes

land-mined structures built to maintain themselves. 

This is our choice—stay safe or take a chance.

Between these we struggle and talk too much.

What we’ve been doing does not work, and yet

we’re blocking out something else that just might.

How many times have we heard “the only

thing to fear is fear itself” and “all we

have to lose are our chains”?  How many times

do we choose our comfort by keeping chains?

We believe we are part Blessing,  that “we

stand up for justice” and “we have your backs”?

That “we’re misunderstood” and that “we hurt

too”?  We’re fooling no one except  ourselves.

Privilege is not the same as being Blessed—

this mistaken belief keeps health and wealth

and opportunity safely in our

own hands while we think we know how to love.

Privilege is not the same as being Blessed—

this is a mistaken belief some hold

despite absence of opportunity

to build and join Bless-ed Community.

Is this a poem, or an out-pouring from a process of discernment?  I have another BLOG for thinking aloud, but these words wanted to be here. Perhaps your comments are part of clearness, perhaps not. But living out loud definitely has its place.

My blog poems are rough drafts.

Please respect my copyright.

© 2016 Susan L. Chast