The Other Side

Little fingers on the fence

peering through the chains

Listening to the screaming cheer

watching the white children play.

A single tear on a stained brown cheek

A little girl stops to stare.

The hurt eyes look back

with a hint of dispair.

She says,” Go away, Black,”

with a flip of her hair.

And the little fingers slip away

back to where they hide

to think and cry

‘bout all the times

they’ve been put on the other side.