A boy at my school was forced into suicide by bullying, both cyber and in-school. He was black and gay, and it was mostly his Afro-Caribbean peers that made him feel that his life wasn't worth living. This is my anger poem to those responsible for his death.
Morality 101
Mike Shaw
Day one, lesson one:
"Respect the deceased." Why is that so hard?
You are the hyena that rips flesh and organs out of the lion's
Decaying body. Ironic, since
You are the one who's gutless.
The lion was proud.
But your nips, and scrapes, and hyena laughter took a toll.
You drove the proud, brave lion to his limit, to where he could
Take no more, and farther.
You murdered the lion.
You're not big, you're a bigot.
I hope the lions, with their shiny knives, the elephants, with their sheer power,
The zebras, with their brazen hooves, and everyone else you disgraced
Comes for you, to make you learn
Your lesson.
Your hyena grin
Will become your hyena grimace, and your evil black eyes
Will swell shut. Maybe then you will never forget the first lesson
Of the first day of
Morality 101.
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Written by Josie (2732 comments posted) 24th March 2008 | | You can see how much you detest these bullies in this poem, and so do the rest of us. It only takes one or two to make people's life hell. I'm a Christian and Jesus taught simply: Love your neighbour as yourself. Is that such a hard thing to do? |
Written by gutterkitty (362 comments posted) 24th March 2008 | | Hmm not a fan I'm afraid. The whole lion/hyena thing seems a bit over the top and also too abstract for me to really tap into your emotions on the subject. Try sitting down, thinking about how you feel, the little moments that some up what this event means to you, and writing them down simply- it will be a more upfront and therefore poignant piece. Also the line breaks seem a bit random to me. |
Written by Veronica_Milvus (595 comments posted) 24th March 2008 | | Your anger and disgust come through really clearly. sounds like this should be read with gritted teeth. And some strong imagery especially of the nasty. vicious hyenas. |
Written by Canadian_Bacon (110 comments posted) 24th March 2008 | | Yeah, the linebreaks are random. I'm not good at structure and rhythm. |
Written by fellpony (1580 comments posted) 25th March 2008 | | I'm a pragmatist and would set up a boxing club where bullies had to match up to someone their own size, one to one. |
Written by mia_ms_kim (973 comments posted) 25th March 2008 | | Didn't anyone try to help the boy? Be his friend? Surely some would have defended him against the bullies? |
Written by Fledermaus (3238 comments posted) 25th March 2008 | I agree a little with gutterkitty about the poem itself. Although the situation itself is enough to make anyone angry.
Arch-bishop Tutu hit the nail on its head during the recent row in the Anglican church:
"God must be weeping looking at some of the atrocities that we commit against one another (...) In the face of all of that, our Church, especially the Anglican Church, at this time is almost obsessed with questions of human sexuality." -- (BBC)
This probably not only goes for the Anglican church... |
Written by andybyers (171 comments posted) 25th March 2008 | | I think it's masterful in its conveyance of blunted, smoldering emotion. The barely-managed restraint of fury is reiterated again and again in cold, clear eloquence. Of the imagery itself, I'm of two minds... I understand the use of the lion as a cipher for a black person, but it seems an incongruous symbol for someone who is cast as a defenceless victim. It works, to some extent, because a solitary lion could be felled by a pack of hyenas, but it robs the poem of some of its potential impact by making the hyenas seem almost brave to take on such a foe — a lion representing a threat, which I don't think was the case here. But for me, that's the only issue, and it's a minor one. So on the other hand, let me say that the symbolism is powerful and crafted, interconnecting one to another (especially towards the end) easily and naturally. Taking it all-in-all, I don't think I'd change it. It is what it is and does what it does, and it's an apt vehicle transmitting your feelings very clearly. |
Written by Canadian_Bacon (110 comments posted) 25th March 2008 | | Using the lion to represent a black person never even occurred to me while writing this. It's an interesting interpretation, though. I used the lion because its an animal that should be able to achieve greatness, but can be taken down when mobbed. |
Written by KaydieKate (63 comments posted) 3rd August 2008 | | I agree with Veronica: it seems you wrote this poem with gritted teeth. Lots of metaphorical images, for one who doesn't like metaphors. But they are easy to decipher. I have met and dealt with these sort of people. Pride is the easiest vice to deflate. |
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