Face Masks

Face Masks

When I played American football
I never looked past the facemask
Of the opposing player.

That way I could hit them as hard as
I could and not worry if
I was hurting another person.

In fact I played a whole game with a friend
On the opposite team and did not know it,
Because I never saw his face.

How often do we put face masks on other
People and do not see them?
Other cars on the roads, and not the people inside?

The labels we give them: Muslims, Jews, Arabs,
Chinese, Africans, Hispanics, Caucasians.
Usually not as nice but using words
That now are referred to as:
A single initial and then “word.”

But once we look past the face mask,
See the person there,
Find the humanity,
Get to know them,
Then we would not wish to hurt them.

Sping 2005- 29 September 2007
Larry T. Hollist