I  see them picking off petal by petal
Making sure their prey is fully exposed
ripping flowers from their roots.
Tell the vultures I will never dine with them
Nor will I participate in their destruction of beauty.

How easy it is to forget.

When it doesn’t affect you.

When the ones lost, weren’t your loved ones.

How easy it is to forget when it wasn’t your child on the receiving end.

When it wasn’t your daughter shrieking for help as some man had his way with her.

Indirectly telling her, her body only exists his pleasure.

How easy it is to forget when it wasn’t you that missed the call that may have allowed you to talk your son down from that ledge.

How easy it is to forget when your mother makes it home, and you didn’t even think to worry.

How easy it is to forget, when your father won’t get mistaken for an immigrant.

It’s easier to forget the horror when your family isn’t the one being torn apart.

You see how easy it is to forget, when it’s not their sisters and brothers being left for dead.

You see how easy it is to forget, when the bodies don’t look like you.

Do the words "Black Lives Matter" make you upset?
Black bodies hanging from poplar trees, would you have wept?
When a black child is murdered by police,
Do you ask "why" or "why didn't he get on his knees"
When armed shooters with lack of color
Are still allowed to see their mother.
Black fathers taken from their kids before birth
Black children six feet beneath earth
Naive young me used to question why so often.

I remember asking my mom why I couldn't have a nerf gun.
I promised I wouldn't shoot it at, or hurt anyone.
Mom, it's cold why can't I wear my hood at night?
It's not in my eyes I promise I can see alright.
Danny and Nick are doing it, why can't I play ding **** ditch
Jesus Christ why can't I just live?
I always viewed my parents as overprotective
Thought I was being sheltered and I couldn't tell why
My dad always seemed a bit aggressive
All because they were doing things just to keep me alive
I was never awarded my adolescence
Coming home from school to added lessons
I wasn't afforded the luxury of childhood and silly decisions
Because of others bad filthy religions
I never knew what it was like to be boisterous and careless
My mother feared some cop would point at me and care less
I could have been just words on a tombstone
Instead of you reading my thoughts and my words being known
It wasn't until now that I understand why I wasn't allowed to make mistakes
Until seeing black victims juvenile crimes resurrect all whilst the white shooter didn't get a court date
I know now
I know now that my life doesn't matter more than that of a deer
"Is it hunting season on a ****** ***" wasn't a joke, but actually fear.
Black bodies no longer hang on poplar trees
Black bodies now lie in the streets
Silence is empowering the other side
So I no longer jail my tongue behind my teeth.