Generous Lenience
A nice man
Can see my face
And not look away
A nice man
Smiles and
He doesn’t spit truth
Into my mouth all the time
When I meet a humble straight man,
I’m grateful
To be seen and heard
Only for a little bit
Captivated but scared of men
An absurd way to live
To be held back by anger and fear
What would He do?
Racism, sexism and homophobia
Won’t be fixed in my lifetime
But a kind man
Like Him
Knows everyone has a purpose
I must forgive
Even when it’s not earned
It sucks
Because justice is given to the
Powerful
But I have faith
As small as a seed
And I hope it grows
Into a red spruce tree,
A perennial and free