This poet finds it confusing and dismaying to live in a time and place in which an unusually tied headscarf, colorful attire or even a dangling thread creates judgments of her entire being ranging from immaturity to carelessness, to low class, to unawareness of any social subtlety, to downright insanity.

What she knows is, she’d rather look in every way like the woman at page bottom than like those at page top.

… Including, and foremost, the facial expressions.

*****

Recorded Reading (1:54): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zlstm9hw5u371w6ohzm34/Great-Homogenator.mp3?rlkey=36hdaih6piale5fpgiey5kwhe&st=l3gu4sgk&dl=0

*****

Great Homogenator

Our horizon dull becomes ~
What from that direction comes
Next from the divine creator?
It’s the Great Homogenator!

Forget what you are really like
Now we all must look alike
Nor allowed to deviate
Or suspicion we create

I’m so frightened of what you
Might think say about me to
That I’ll affirm most anything
Acceptance on your face to bring

Whether or not I’m convinced
Of the attitude evinced
Matters not a single whit
So I get that look’s benefit

I receive with sweet relief
Knowing you might bring me grief,
Telling it to everyone,
If I have a little fun

Or I to someone relate
You don’t think is awful great
In your so-defensive view
Instant relegate me to,

With your ruthless social bevel,
Their imaginary “level” —
Don’t wear red, don’t wear blue
Or Cousin Vinnie will kill you

There is an ancient precept:
We get just what we accept
And if it’s false limits you
Give to me, you’ll have them too

Trends like this one don’t reverse
It’s just going to get worse
Unless someone looks up to say
“This game we’ve chosen’s not okay”

And we decide something about
It all we ought to carry out
Rededicating ourselves to
An increasingly inclusive view