RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: EQUALITY
The Way it Was
I remember when there were no gays
High school kids showered together
There was no other way
I remember when the minorities
The blacks and browns and Asians
Lived in their own neighborhoods
Went to the same schools
They weren’t the best neighborhoods
They were broken down houses
And secondhand schools
But as far as we knew
(and as far as we know today)
They liked it that way
I remember when the boys got all the glory
The girls were their cheerleaders
Boys ran for president
Girls were secretaries
Men got bigger paychecks
Women were their servants
Men did the “hard” jobs
Women ran the home
Men did all the talking
Women didn’t have much to say
For all we knew and know
They liked it that way
I remember when it was cool to say
I’m free white and twenty-one
We were the chosen ones
We were the privileged ones
The world revolved around us
And that was okay
As far as we knew and know
We all like it that way
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