Poem for Wayne

Poem for Wayne

You were my canary
In the toxic atmosphere of modern racist Britain

Listening to you
I heard your rage
And underneath felt a deep sorrow

You reminded me
Of my struggle to belong
In a world unable
To accept me as I was

I forever shaped myself
Around people’s expectations
Or rather
What I took these to be

Inside the real me
Hid away
So deep
I began to forget who I really was
If it wasn’t for spirituality
I would have lost myself