| Niaz Khadem ...so it's like   pop pop you're missing your 20/20 vision
 now from this position
 you see with true precision
 the people you meet the things you behold
 no longer blinded by sight
 you've got to see with your soul
  it's like eating a fruityou throw the peel to the floor
 drink the sweet juice
 and spit the seeds out the door
  people running their mouthspeople playing their games
 you see the truth now man
 they all look the same
  now this sweet juice that I spoke ofjust a moment before
 tastes like the loving-kindness
 that came bursting through your door
 
 the moment that you shut
 those eyes of yours
 to the hate and prejudice
 we've been directing towards
 
 all our brothers and sisters
 in this place called earth
 man closing your eyes
 was just like a rebirth
 
 like a renaissance
 of those times before
 when you were the little kid
 with the friend next door
 
 all you wanted was for him
 to come over and play
 it didn't matter that his skin
 was of a different shade
  now that we've rememberedthese truths of old
 thank God every day
 that you can see with your soul
 Niaz Khadem teaches Spanish in Paducah, Kentucky.  His father is Persian and his mother is Irish. His poetry can be found in Toasted-Cheese and in the forthcoming issue of Word Riot.  
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