The Clansman’s Negro Heart

13). The Clansman’s Negro Heart

Bonnie died on Sunday, on surgery table,

where life depended on the steady hands and the razor-

On Tuesday Bonnie woke with heart that is new;

implanted with treads and needles, the frailty of life

By the week from Sunday that Bonnie died

he came into full life of Second-Chance

Bonnie could talk, swallow an egg,

experience complete material structures of his body

like the bully-bull, nothing amiss the bouncer was fine-

But how, to life again-

Bonnie could not conceive or comprehend-

Unconscious, the unaware Bonnie was,

to, the surgery table-

Finally, the flash beacons from within,

enduing him to grips with a miracle;

the miracle of Second Chance,

the blessing to only few-

Bonnie broke the ice

and querying the fact of his life-

Questioning, regarding the source,

source of, his life of Second Chance-

“Who was this Angle of Life? -

the original bearer of this gold?

upon whose death-

I, have received a Second Chance?”

To Bonnie the unimaginable,

the surprise of the differing kind

was, handed him; a picture,

by him that doctored his Second Chance

Bonnie went shortly comatose.

recovery timely,

Bonnie puckered, “What!

Mark! him I knew, very well, at work.”-

Red and pale faced was Bonnie as he asked

Plainly, in abject pain and sorrow he stammered

“what, what, what Happened?

 How did it happen?

Why, why, O! why~ that trailed into sub sobs”

And diamond shaped, the tears rolled

painful for, Bonnie’s state of health.

An accident took Mark’s life,

his heat lives on

to give life in Second Chance-

Bonnie mumbles the name of God.

A novelty in Second Chance

Bonnie sobbed a while; the wife asked;

“you, crying?” happy to be, was the expectation

It, it, it hurts so much; Not the heart but the man I am-

Mark, I had fired for no reason,

I fired him for no reason at all, 

but that he was Black, he was black-

Mark, I hated, a Blackman working

and earning as much as I;

that was too much to bear.

That to me was not right-

I was the man-perfect

Mark, I hated for his guts, smartness and spirit;

those challenged the man I am

Mark was a textbook candidate of Clansman, hate.

I resented everything about him,

the sight of him made me angry

that I was often hurting, and crying inside-

The worst thing still;

I hated the sight of him smiling

Smiling a greeting as if I was his friend-

It was most painful knowing that he knew,

that, I hated him

yet he dismissed me

my treats as he dismissed me.

To fire him, I could not find grounds;

for Mark worked so hard and so professionally

Mark, I hated for his guts, smartness and spirit;

Shaking his head-

Mark was a textbook candidate of Clansman, hate-

As a Clansman would say,

Nigger he is; and that is reason enough,

to fire him; and so, I did

I fired Mark for no reason,

no reason at all-

just that he was a smart Blackman,

he was black

Bonnie broke down and sobbed

as if rejecting the New Heart from Blackman Mark-

He recovered from the painful mortification

The shackle in, of penitential pain and remorse  

The pain that washed away his hatred

of him that was black and beautiful-

Monday a month that Bonnie died and lived,

In the new life of second chance;

from his hospital bed without further ado or delay

Bonnie withdrew his Clansman Membership-

he vowed to worship God

His sons, grandsons followed Pa’s example

ending generations of Clansman Membership

Discharged Bonnie was,

with bouncing healthy body and soul,

to life of Second Chance

With apology made of tears,

Bonnie met with Mark’s family, wife and children

I wished, I, Bonnie a Clansman,

had known yesterdays,

what I know now; O! How I wish.

I today am living in Second Chance

with “Heart” most beautiful that you have given.

Accept, accept me as family, though “White”;

you and I know, indeed I have a Blackman’s heart

and Hearth in a life of Second Chance.