Now I’ll Look Behind The Italics In Every Stare

Yes—assumptions make us assholes. The only way out of the hole is to admit we all clutch our pearls. Sometimes. And sometimes I clutch mine, before the harrumphs arrive in true trigger fashion.

Triggering my cerebral palsy, turn-to-the-side eyes, away. Far enough away so that we can find common ground, staring at someone’s publicly stoned, drunk daughter. I don’t have a daughter—do you?

I don’t ask you, because I know our stares are a different climb. It’s different ridin’ short bus*, never shotgun. I saw you lean slightly forward when you heard my short bus comment, on my too-close-to-your-seat phone call, and wondered what went whirling through your mind as my wheelchair’s low-battery beep bumped up against your poeming train of thought.

Did I make you clutch your pearls? You wouldn’t be wrong. My people know it’s taboo too. My pen dropped as my gnarled fingers ended the call you picked up before the ask came. I smiled because you didn’t pop a question assuming what flower my page might bloom.

Apologies for the moment my eyes went right to the pop-up ads on your computer. I thought your blush was for the neon green cock ring splashing its screen. Thank you for asking if I might be interested in writing smut.

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In conclusion, I was inspired to write this piece of open communication between two poets because of my opportunity to be introduced to the poet in these 3 poems. “a simple misunderstanding,” gives the reader, and in my case, the writer of this piece, a chance to see a bigger picture and clear the aired misconceptions.  In turn, my use of italics came directly from, in "an open letter to the white woman offended by my use of “The N-word." “Harrumphs trigger staring don’t ask what went wrong ask what went right” were words I chose to put in italics to communicate the mutual understanding that this poet knows we all need… We can all read surfaces and faces; but if we take the time there is a world of language underneath. What’s behind the italics of our faces is more than a font.

*Short-Bus is slang used to identify people with physical or cognitive challenges. People with physical or cognitive challenges are free to use this identifier if they so choose. It is frowned upon if able-bodied individuals use this slang.