Who would’ve thought,
A private school hallway,
Could turn into the deadliest of battlefields,
With just the mention of a word?

What others think is fun; funny even,
Just initiates this hidden war.
Only those observant few notice;
Or maybe just few care.

Racist jokes shot around,
Like stray bullets;
Affecting others more,
Than the intended target.

Have we run out of comedy?
Why resort to making fun of each other,
Because of our race, ethnicity, nationality,
Just for laughs?

“Maybe if we don’t look,
We won’t see it.
Then it’ll go away,
Right?”

Wrong.
We ignore the real problem:
The problem that makes even the proudest, most confident of people,
Feel lower than low.

Until something happens,
Until someone cares,
This invisible battle will injure us all,
With just the mention of a word.