November 5th 2018, by Jane James

Tonight, I could make a bonfire

and burn an effigy of a racist

but I don’t think it’s right

to burn people, not even

symbolically,

even if those people are racists.

..

Tonight, I could find the house of a racist

and burn it down, but that would be

an act of hatred and

I don’t think it’s right

to bear hatred,

even against racists.

..

Tonight, I could light a barbecue

and symbolically cook gammon, but

I never cook gammon

because I have more respect

for the lives of pigs

than some people have for the lives

of other human beings.