I do not recall writing a poem before, let alone sharing one publicly. So this feels risky. A recent experience sent me on a long walk and gave me the first three lines of this poem. I have been adjusting it a little at a time ever since, and it still feels unfinished. I am sharing it anyway because I suspect it can be better.

Here is my first poem:

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In the land of diversity and inclusion  
In a sea of different and tolerant people  
There is that one quiet voice  
Drowned in collective representations  
Denied of individual expression  
I hope my friend  
You will choose to be  
The one to lend  
A listening ear  
And seek to understand  
Before being understood  
And opt to disagree  
But still appreciate  
They have a story  
Yet to be told  

My hope is that, at some point, we find a way to recognize the contradictions inside inclusion and use that tension to move closer together instead of farther apart.

Thank you for reading.

Reference:
Paradoxes of Inclusion: Understanding and Managing the Tensions of Diversity and Multiculturalism