My Chair

Built a chair this morning
Black with white stripes
Watched the paintwork drying
Only your own work brings such pride

Took a walk this morning
It soothes me sometimes
Saw the police van coming
You can run but you can’t hide

Got a fine this morning
I forget my passbook sometimes
Got off easy, just a beating
They say they would claim a possession of mine

Took a walk this morning
You limp when you’re hurt sometimes
No bus stopped, had to carry on walking
It happens when God gave you skin like mine

Got home tired this morning
I’d been walking for miles
Found my front door wide open
The police had claimed their fine

Walked through my house this morning
To see what they’d taken of mine
Stopped for a moment…I was crying
They’d taken that beautiful bench of mine

Ran out my house this evening
Tears flowing out my eyes
They’d done what I was fearing
It seems that the paint had dried

Walked down the street this evening
Passbook in a pocket of mine
My leg slowly healing
Still limped, but it felt fine

Walked through the park this evening
Saw a bench out the corner of my eye
It had black and white colouring
This bench was definitely mine

Ran to a bench this evening
The was a man busy at the time
He seemed to be painting on a warning
“Whites only” said the sign

Sat on my bench this evening
I ignored the sign
How could I obey a warning
Telling me not to sit on what is mine?

Got arrested this evening
For not obeying a sign
Got a little more than a beating
Didn’t make it home…this time