Walking down the street
Privilege
I remember walking
running jumping dancing twirling
I remember walking
I once walked from Canal street to 60th on Broadway, that was a night
I recently decided that I do not want to ever say
I remember eating
I remember breathing
I can still do that and I am grateful
even on the days I choke and scare everyone in the room
I cannot wait to walk down the street again
feel my feet hit the pavement
feel my knees bend hips sway breasts bounce
feel my feet hit the pavement
feel my knees bend hips sway breasts bounce
I dream that I will find a way
that the medical establishment will find a cure
maybe
that the medical establishment will find a cure
maybe
but in the meantime I will scour the sidewalk for cracks and curbcuts
and count how many buildings I can’t get in
when people tell me it is only a step or two I want to drive over their toes and tie them to a chair
“Let’s do something easy like ‘I was walking down the street'”
And I want to scream (I remember screaming) “Easy for you ”
And I want to laugh because I know how many of you would collapse
if you were in my shoes, not walking
And I want to say that I have a better understanding of how black people felt during segregation, how they feel now because so many things have not changed
but then I will be the arrogant one and they will be saying to me “Easy for you “
and count how many buildings I can’t get in
when people tell me it is only a step or two I want to drive over their toes and tie them to a chair
“Let’s do something easy like ‘I was walking down the street'”
And I want to scream (I remember screaming) “Easy for you ”
And I want to laugh because I know how many of you would collapse
if you were in my shoes, not walking
And I want to say that I have a better understanding of how black people felt during segregation, how they feel now because so many things have not changed
but then I will be the arrogant one and they will be saying to me “Easy for you “
Disability March 