John White Defends

i.

They came

in the dead of night

with their ghost skin and war cries

their tongues sharpened with hate

nigger this, nigger that

They came

as always they have come and come

again my worse nightmare sprung

alive—they were here

for my son

ii.

the fancy house

the two car garage

the low trimmed lawn

the petunias and peonies

the tomatoes and summer herbs

my name in fancy letters on the mailbox

—I should have known

there would be a reckoning

iii.

I said, please then

I said stop then

I said no

iv.

I wanted

to spare him the burning

crosses

the dangerous

brotherhoods

the needle

the bullet

the shackles

the whip of a merciless law

I wanted to spare him

this