I am undaunted (originally penned March 28, 2016)

I glitter

I glint

I glisten

I gleam

I twinkle

I flash

I shimmer

I shine

I wink and I sparkle

I flicker and glow

I'm ablaze

I am brilliance, undaunted

Same Chase

George Floyd
Breonna Taylor
Elijah McClain
Philando Castile
Michael Brown
Terence Crutcher
Eric Garner
Alton Sterling
Oscar Grant
Freddie Gray
Botham Jean
Atatiana Jefferson
Bettie Jones
Ahmaud Arbery
Laquan McDonald
Tamir Rice
Dominique White
Rayshard Brooks
Daniel Prude
Aura Rosser
Stephon Clark
Michelle Cusseaux
Janisha Fonville
Akai Gurley
Gabriella Nevarez
Tanisha Anderson
Sandra Bland

America,
their blood,
and the blood
of so many others,
is on your hands.
You refuse
to prosecute
their murderers
to the fullest extent
of the very law
to which they pledged
to enforce
by protecting and serving.
But we cry out,
"Protecting
and serving who?????"
Not us.
Not the ones
who are
still being
whipped
by bullets,
and hung
by chokeholds.
Sirens
have replaced the hounds,
and badges
have replaced hoods,
but its still
the same chase.
Tweets
have replaced
burning crosses
It's still
the same chase

monotony road (penned July 3, 2015)

You're calling me

Again

Black white black white

Broken

Yellow

Solid

Green patches

Tall, swaying

Short, patchy

Pylon pylon

Signs, directions

Fences, divisions

Black white black white

Rumble rumble

Ooooh water

Break the monotony

Car truck van

Black white...

Yellow...

New Jersey Turnpike

Don't call again

Boring...

what would GOD see (penned July 3, 2015)

If God walked up to me right now, and tapped me on the shoulder, what would He see?

Would He see His reflection? Or just scars and rejection?

Would He see the gold that He's placed deep within?

Or, would He just hear excuses for my many ways to sin?

Would he point out the ways I whined when I felt

He just didn't hear me when I cried out for help?

Would he just stand there watching, shaking His head

As I made more excuses for staying in bed.

No, He's not like that; He's gentle, He's kind,

Yes, He will forgive, but these faults, He does mind.

Can't take Him for granted, He will stand as Judge,

From these stubborn insanities, I will have to budge.

For on the last day, I'll still have to bow,

Believer or not, I'm telling you now,

This life that I'm living, may not be perfected,

But I'm striving so that I will hear that I won't be rejected.

I want to hear from His lips, "My servant, well done,

The battle is over, the victory is won!"

But for now what I have to do is get out of bed,

'Cause this life that I'm living, still has to be led...

It's so expensive to be Black in America

The luxury ferry from Africa to America

Cost our freedom

But any objection

Cost our lives

Working on those beautiful plantations

Cost our voices

But any objection

Cost our lives

Sharecropping in the open air

Cost our financial foundation

But any objection

Cost our lives

Worshipping in the warm balconies

Cost our religious freedom

But any objection

Cost our lives

Riding in the cool back of the buses

Cost our dignity

But any objection

Cost our lives

ANY objection

Costs our lives

Running with headphones

Death sentence

Reading in a car

Death sentence

Sitting on your porch

Death sentence

Sleeping in your bed

Death sentence

Selling CD's

Death sentence

Selling cigarettes

Death sentence

Comforting a friend

Death sentence

Buying Skittles

Death sentence

Walking while Black

Talking while Black

Dancing while Black

Singing while Black

Jogging while Black

Driving while Black

Playing while Black

Studying while Black

Meeting while Black

Eating while Black

Trying while Black

Crying while Black

Death sentence

Death sentence

Death sentence

Death sentence

Shotguns

Ropes

Batons

Knees

We can't breathe

But asked to pay more

With life

And breath

And blood

And pain

And wails

And cries

And tears

And anguish

And injustice

And intolerance

And bias

And profiling

As indignity

After indignity

Is poured over our heads

And runs into our eyes

And seeps into our hearts

And stains our souls

As heads explode into rage

As eyes erupt into hate

As hearts explode into venom

As souls explode into violence

The cost keeps growing

As more lives are claimed

In the name of justice

That we were told

Was ours to begin with

But have to pay

For the right

To earn the right

To live it

The cost is too high

Asked of pockets

Already devoid

Of any more funds

Of hearts and souls

Already bankrupt

Of minds and spirits

Bone dry

It costs too much

To be Black in America

It's too expensive 

To be Black in America

But where can we go?

This is our home!

This is what was built

By our very own hands

On the broken backs 

Of our forebears

Mortared with the blood

Of our martyrs

And cemented together

By what we've overcome

The cost is high

But the value incalculable

Expensive, yet priceless

Tangible, but just out of reach

Reaching all the way back

To the mothers and fathers

Who sat on those shores

And wailed as their children

Departed in ships

For shores unknown

Who paid in despair

Who never forgot

We rise in payment

In retribution

In vengeance

In rage

Not backing down

But demanding to be heard

To be reimbursed

For our expenses

The Psalmist 6-14-20