#BlackPoetsSpeakOut - NO MORE DEAD

I wanted to upload a video to youtube but I am having technical difficulties with my webcam AND my digital camera.  So... I will post this poem here instead:

NO MORE DEAD 

we are cycling our eyes

from the bottom to the tops of our heads

because we have heard this before

my daddy has heard this before

in the 40s 50s and 60s

I have heard this before

in the 70s 80s and 90s

it is now the 21st century

why are we still

playing the same tired old tune

over and over again

there are those

whose version of religion

calls any outside their circle

animals who can talk

there are those

who even after all this time

still think of brown

as less than human

we have been caged so long

that many actually believe the lies

even though we try so hard

to educate our children

teach them compassion

even though it is rarely shown to them

when it comes to the trope

of the angry Black

I am of the opinion

any black person who is not angry

is not paying attention

we all need to pay attention

the only thing necessary

for the triumph of evil

is for good people to do nothing

I refuse to do nothing

so I raise my voice

get loud in spite of "my place"

to speak the truth

that needs to be heard

at the volume that is required

we are required as humans

to make a stand against injustice

to be the change we hope to see

so be the good person

and do good things

let's change the tune

speak a new truth

so that change will come

and no more Black children

will have to die

~~~

#Ferguson #BlackPoetsSpeakOut #BlackLivesMatter