I have spent a lifetime

trying to break away,

trying to break out,

trying to find myself.

Always on the edge,

always on the outside,

not quite a part,

of it, not quite

a beatnik,

or a mod,

hippy, or  punk.

I was early to realize that

what she wanted me to be

was what she had wanted

for herself, about her, not me.

I wanted to escape such love.

I thought I could escape.

I thought I had escaped.

And I did, surely I did

Escape some of it.

But not all.

Not enough.

So even now I feel tethered.

After all this time of leaving

her behind,

I remain unsure

of my own.

©  Lynn White

First published in Yellow Chair Review, June 2016

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In this new hard hitting anthology by Creative Talents Unleashed, authors from around the world pour out their experiences of ‘Microaggression’.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as “A comment or action subtly and often unconsciously expressing a prejudiced attitude towards a member of marginalized group”

Derald Wing Sue defines Microaggression as “ The brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, and sexual orientation, and religious slights and insults to the target person or group”

In today’s society we are all a part of, whether we like it or not; we are forever scrutinizing our dialogue and conversation, looking out for offensive and insulting content. Today, words don’t just insult, they also inflict verbal violence with long lasting psychological effects, causing unimaginable inner conflict and problems with forming healthy personal relationships.

Don Beukes – author of The Salamander Chronicles

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