She tells you to be brave,
To run, and don't look back,
Let your feet carry you away from them,
The dogs at your heels,
The danger at your back.
She tells you not to cry,
Because tears never saved a life.
She tells you that there is only safety
In being gone before the cops come,
Because melanin is a weapon,
The only thing they're really scared of.
She whispers stories in the darkness,
Lulling you to uneasy slumber
With tales of caution:
Do not trust white skin,
Do not linger on streets, in doorways,
In aisles, or cars,
Do not conceal your hands
And do not reach for anything out of sight.
Do not cooperate, but do not resist.
She speaks names you do not know,
A list of fallen strangers
Who must be remembered,
Whose justice is still sought
In the pound of flesh.
She sings songs of retribution,
Ancestral memories
Of different, terrible times,
When freedom was hard-won,
To remind you why justice
Is just as important a battle.
She teaches you the lessons
That you know other children
Won't have to learn.
She teaches you how not to die,
Not because you live dangerously,
But because living is dangerous.
YOU ARE READING
furthermore
PoetryA poetic diary of sorts. A collection of poems chronicling my depression, suicidal ideation, and my journey through therapy.
