Is it Such A Crime To Speak Your Mind … ?    
      
Because ….      
It Seems To Be If You're NOT WHITE ... !!!    
      
I Hear This Said So MANY Times … !!!      
      
"Virge, you scare folks with words you rhyme !"      
      
And That's NO JOKE But Words I Quote ...      
Are NOT  The Type To Start A Fight … !!!      
      
But May UNSETTLE Those Who … " Settle " ...      
To Hide Behind A … "LIE FILLED Life" … !!!      
      
Can Someone DEFINE Why It's …. " Such A Crime " …. ?      
To Criticise ... Political Types …. !?!      
      
In Times Like THESE FREEDOM of SPEECH ...      
Is NEEDED …  Just Like Poetry … !!!      
      
If We're To Ease Pain And Misery … !!!      
And Crimes of More FATAL DESIGNS … !!!!!      
      
MURDERS ... RAPES Crimes Based On Race …      
And Crimes Inclined To Keep The Masses ... "Blind" ... !!!      
Like Those In Folds Who Make Mistakes …      
Do THEY Pay A Toll For CASH THEY TAKE … ?!?      
      
MISTAKES … THEY SAY That Pay For Homes … ?!?      
      
"It was merely a loan, from a chap I know !      
No more questions now, i've got to go !"      
      
"A chap you know, can't we know his name ?"      
      
"Are you insane, is it such a crime      
for you to find, that friends of mine,      
help out in times of financial strain ?"    
      
"Of course not sir, but don't divert, what is his name,      
and did he donate to your friends campaign ?      
Need I ask you again, the question is what is his name ?      
Let me make it plain, are you quite sure he hasn't bought,      
A Peerage, and is now a lord ?"      
      
"I will not answer any more !      
What do you take, politicians for ?      
Anyone would think, our dealings stink !"      
      
"Well, no more than a poor street ***** !    
Is it such a crime to want to know more ?"    
      
Could This Be Why Government Guidelines ...      
Are Trying To Stem ... Peoples' Questions ... !?!      
      
If Free Speech ENDS What'll Happen To THEM … ???      
And ALL THEIR Pre-Planned Arguments … ?!?      
      
It Seems That THEY Will Carry On …      
Airing Views Even If They're WRONG … !?!      
      
Isn't That A Crime It Would Seem NOT … !?!      
So How Can It Be A CRIME To Speak Your Mind ... ?!?      
ESPECIALLY When You're PROVEN RIGHT … !!!      
      
I Find This ATTITUDE At …. " Poetry Nights " …. ?!?      
      
if You Speak About Your Life That Seems To Be FINE …    
Or Express FRUSTRATION At The State of The NATION … !!!      
Through Words You Write ….      
If You Are WHITE And They Make Folks SMILE ... !!!      
      
But If You're BLACK And Make ATTACKS …      
On RACISTS ... Or On Western Plans …      
You're Treated Like An ….. ALIEN …… !!!!!      
It MUST BE A Crime To Be A BLACK MAN ... !???!      
      
ESPECIALLY When You Have A MIND …      
Inclined To WRITE Poetic Rhymes That Spread Insight … !!!    
      
"But, SOME BLACKS DO !"      
      
"Well, if that's true, let me ask you who ?      
Mr. Zephaniah, okay, that's one !      
But, he's spent time inside prison !"      
I'm talking about a black without,      
a history of dodgy deeds !"      
      
I Think You'll Find THAT MAN Is ME … !!!      
NO Prison Time Has Big Virge SEEN … !!!      
      
But May Well Do For Words I Speak …      
Even When My Record's … CLEAN … !!?!!      
      
Well …. Clean ENOUGH … !!!      
      
I HAVE BEEN Cuffed ... !!!!!      
For Slapping A Girl For DISRESPECTING MY MUM … !!!!!      
      
And ….. " Driving Drunk " ……      
But Both Misdemeanours Were Just The ONCE … !!!!!      
And Like Benjamin ... Were When I Was YOUNG … !!!!!      
      
But The Point I'm Trying To Make …      
Is … Black Americans Are Deemed To Be GREAT … !!!!!      
For Taking A STANCE AGAINST Racial HATE … !!!!!      
      
WHICH English Black Can Make The Claim THAT …      
They've Gained RESPECT For … Taking THAT STANCE … !?!      
      
What Does That Say About Those Who CLAIM … !!!      
      
THAT …….      
      
"Blacks are treated just the same,      
as every other race on, English Shores !"      
      
"Are THEY QUITE SURE ?!!!? "      
      
I'm NO Malcolm X But DO HAVE A Cause … !!!      
My Cause DEPLORES These Government Laws … !!!      
      
Cos' If You're Black And POOR …      
You're Gonna ... SUFFER For SURE … !!!!!      
      
Even If You're NOT …      
Police Now Plot To Shoot You Down … !!!!!      
Or Question You ... Even If They Doubt … ?      
      
THAT You ARE THAT Drug Dealer … !?!      
OR The ONE Who STOLE That Car … !!!!!      
      
Laws They PASS Are Now PURE FARCE … !!!!      
It Seems They've Moved But …. NOT TOO FAR …. !!!!!!!      
AWAY From Keeping Us ……….. Apart ……….      
      
Ask Yourself WHY Are They Inclined ... ?      
To RESTRICT Those Who EXPOSE LIES … ?!?      
      
Creatively ...  Or Otherwise …      
Through Simply Saying What's IN Their Mind … !?!      
      
PLEASE Ask Yourself WHY … ?      
      
..... " Is It Such A Crime ? " ......

" Love Thy Neighbour " ....  
  
For Those Who Don't Know ...    
Was A 70's Show That Used Racist Jokes  ...    
To Show How It Goes With Some English Folks ...    
    
FEAR of Blacks And That's JUST THAT ... !!!    
Things Haven't Changed Much And That's A FACT ... !!!      
    
But Some White Girls Take Time And Learn ...    
That Black Men KNOW What ROCKS Their Boat ... !!!    
    
Some White Men HATE To See Them Stray ............      
Into Beds Where Black Men .... LAY .... !!!      
    
Because Like They Say ...    
    
"If he's not on crack !    
Once they've had black, they won't turn back !"    
    
Now I DON'T BELIEVE That This Is TRUE ... !!!!!    
Cos' Girls These Days Are SO CONFUSED ... ?!?    
    
Because of DRUGS And TV News ...    
That Leaves Them Lost And With ISSUES ... !!!!!      
    
... " Love Thy Neighbour " ... ?  
  
Do Me A Favour ... !!!!!!!    
Girls These Days Make Love HARD LABOUR ... !!?!!    
    
But As I've Said The Show Reflects ...    
On How Racists Try To INFECT ... !!!    
    
The Minds of YES Their Groups of FRIENDS ... !!!!!    
From Stories Bred From ... IGNORANCE ... !!!!!!    
    
"It's just the way they are !" ... They Say .....    
    
"Without a brain, and taught to **** !"
    
"Hold on there mate !  
The news these days, has set things straight !"
    
"It seems, some whites are not so nice !    
and like to ***, young child you'll find !    
Yes, those profiled as, Paedophiles !"    
    
"It's just the odd one !" ... I Hear them CRY ... !!!!    
    
Like Those Employed By Government Types ...    
With *** OFFENCES On Their File ... ?!!!?    
    
You're INSANE To CLAIM You're CIVILISED ... ?!!!?      
When Kids Are ABUSED By .... " Teacher Types " ....    
    
Most Crimes By Blacks AREN'T of THAT STYLE ... !!!    
Most Blacks Commit Crimes To .... " JUST SURVIVE " .... !!!!!    
    
... " Love Thy Neighbour " ...    
    
PROVED That Blacks ...  
Face Racism Whilst Having To LABOUR ... !!!!!    
    
Just To KEEP Themselves OFF STREETS ... !!!    
Where Lives of Crime Are Then Designed ...    
    
And Then The Racists Say ...    
    
"Black people, have got no shame !"    
    
Well The Show Was STOPPED In Seventy Six ...    
Because of Complaints About What It Portrayed ... !!!    
    
Well THIRTY YEARS LATER Things Seem The Same ... ?!?    
We're STILL VICTIMS of English Racists ... !!!!!    
    
They say,    
    
"Love Thy Neighbour couldn't air today !"...  
    
WHY ..... ???

Because It Shows Old English Ways ... !?!    
RACISM And ... Good Old HATE ... !!!!!!    
    
So Love Thy Neighbour ... What Do You Say ... ?  
How'd You Like To Wake Up To My Black Face ... !?!    
    
Do You Feel ASHAMED of What You'll SAY ... ?!?!?    
    
Let Me Explain Why You Feel Like That ...    
You've Been PROGRAMMED To See Us THAT WAY ... !!!    
THE DARKER We Are The Lower Our Grade .... !!!    
    
EVEN TODAY ... ?!!!?    
Some Think That Way ... PROGRAMMED Okay ... !!!    
    
But You Have A BRAIN ... !! ? !!    
    
I'm Speaking MY MIND And WON'T APOLOGISE ... !!!!!    
Some Blacks STILL THINK That They Are WHITE ... ??!??    
    
Are You SURPRISED Well You UNCLE TOM Guys ...  
May Just Be FIRST To Hear These Words ...    
    
"Those black people, are worse than dirt !"
    
So UNCLE TOMS Do Those Words HURT ... ?!?    
    
The Colour of Your Skin's STILL Deemed To Be A SIN ... !!!    
Thirty Years On ....... Love Thy Neighbour's GONE ... !!!    
    
But Racism KEEPS Moving ON ... !!!    
And STILL We Have These ... " UNCLE TOMS " ...    
Some Who CLEARLY ... Now Wear THONGS  ... !!!!!!!!    
    
From New Orleans To English Streets ...    
RACIST Police And ...  "subtle schemes" ... !!!    
    
Like Making SURE My Poetry Is Kept ... "unseen" ...    
By Those Who CHOOSE To ............... RUN From TRUTH .......... !!!!!    
These Days It Seems There's QUITE A FEW ...... !!!!!    
Who Hide Behind A CROCK OF LIES ... !!!    
    
Those Who Run Most Poetry Nights ...    
Seem CLOSELY LINKED To Government Types ... !?!    
    
FUNNY That ... I'm A Bit Surprised ...    
That's NOT QUITE TRUE ... !!!    
Moves They Make Are So SEE THROUGH ...    
    
I Now Care NOT For Things They Do ... !!!    
    
I'm NOT In This To INFLUENCE ... !!!    
Or To Make Myself NEW Friends ... !!!    
    
But Girls HELL YES I Love STRAIGHT  *** ... !!!!!    
There's ... NO BETTER FRIEND ...
Than YOU In The **** On My Double Bed ... !!!!!!!    
    
SEE I ... Play It STRAIGHT ...    
That's RIGHT I'M NOT Gay ... !!!
And DON'T Play Games ... !!!    
    
UNLIKE These Blokes Who Use Weak Quotes ...    
To Make You THINK They'll ... ROCK Your Boat ... !!!    
    
But ... Enough of THAT ... !!!!!    
Will Whites and Blacks Ever Face The Facts ... ?    
BEFORE Governments Make Things COLLAPSE ... !!!!!    
    
I Suggest ....
You THINK ABOUT THAT ... !!!!!!    
    
UNITY's A Flavour I Would SAVOUR ... !!!!!!    
    
I'd Rather Have THAT Than Cash-Type Paper ... !!!    
So Come On Folks Do Us ALL A FAVOUR ... !!!!!    
    
Try Doing This YES ... PLEASE ...    
    
....... " Love Thy Neighbour " ..... !!!!!

Why this discrimination?
In every situation
Increasing on every evolution
Degrading our nation
Why this partiality?
Making us psychopathic personality
Isn't this wrong mentality?
Completely depicting Rascality.
Showing discrimination in every aspect
Gives a lot of adverse effects.
Are we thinking we’re protecting our self-respect
If it is so, it's only us who can protect.
Let us be Outwit
And change this ****
Atleast a little bit
Fetching us benefit

Dream your life in watercolours,
Live your life in oils,
Frame your canvases with time and distance;

Hang each by a silver thread,
In a windowed gallery of memories,
Exhibit often and without discrimination;

Celebrate the beauty in your clumsiest brushwork,
Accept the imperfections in your mastery,
Reshape your truths, as light plays and colour transforms.

"You can join our group," he says,
"But only if you look everyone in the eyes."
I freeze.
Surely he is aware by now that the words
Autism Spectrum Disorder
In my chart were not placed there for fun?
Surely he is aware by now that finger twitching, body rocking,
     gaze avoiding
Are not for my frivolous pleasure?
Surely he is aware by now the absurdity of what he asks?
I am autistic.
Burning irritation of the eyes and panic aside,
Staring creepily into another human's eyeballs
Would render group a waste of time, no possibility to listen.
He knows this.
It is his prejudice that keeps him rooted to the spot.
I can feel the weight of his expectations boring into my forehead.
Explaining what it is to ask this of me,
I remind him that drawing this line would be excluding me because
Of my autism.
I tell him he would be losing a valuable participant,
A deep thinker, a creator, an avid listener.
I tell him he would be discriminating,
That I am protected by law.
Oh, no.
He budges not,
For he does not dislike autistic humans
So long as they act like they are Neurotypical,
So long as I pretend to be
Someone I am not.

“Your soooo pretty... for a Mexican girl”

The great unbreakable and unscalable walls of yore are not broken.

They just ceased to be walls.
Now just a slightly dumbfounding mist.

You pass through them like a bad smell
because they were never really there.
And those that built them
With ignorance and shame
Are long dead.

They are only an obscure memory of pain, oppression or struggle.