Programmed to be Ashamed

I grabbed you
Stopped you from stepping
In front of a car   In front of the store
Driver stopped    Looked right at us
We crossed

You scold me for touching you
I explain
We are so programmed
To be ashamed of being gay
Only you think it was a gay gesture
You're getting old
You're half deaf
You weren't paying attention
Your friend next to you grabbed you
Totally appropriate
Up til then you were touching me
Left & right 

I felt pride working as a team
I thought you wanted to be seen 
Awareness precedes change
It's conditioning 
You're programmed to be ashamed
We'll keep working on it.

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