If We Were Ethnic

We're just plain white people, you and me
And we're perfectly nice
But what if we were ethnic
What if we had a culture
What if we cooked special foods
On special days
What if our language was affected
With sounds and tones
That gave it a musical quality
What if we had symbols and traditions
That meant something to us
And to our family
What if we danced ancient dances
On ancient holidays
What if in public we clustered
Into small noisy groups
Full of strange words and laughter
With our children darting in and out
It's perfectly fine and nice
To be plain white people
But I wonder sometimes
Wouldn't it be beautiful
If we were ethnic

Comments

[Heather Anne]

Yes. It would be very much beautiful.

[Caitlinator]

I wonder if our "non-culture" seems exotic to people from far away.

[toadman]

I think you should re-write this and call it "If We Were Ed McMahon."

[Susan]

Ha Ha Toadman

[Pearl]

Am I off base that this is tongue in cheek and saying white has traditions too and superficially look the same in behavior?

[twyla]

I love this. My son married a Cajun girl with this huge family that has huge parties and is steeped in exotic food and traditions. When I go to visit I always want to bring a bunt cake.

[Shankari]

Feeling very brown beautiful and ethnic! But what about the gray, ugly and common spaces I see in between???