Sunday, March 28, 2021

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

Thursday, September 24, 2020

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
Roger Fortson

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
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

Friday, July 3, 2020

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...

Sunday, June 14, 2020

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