"travon" poems
Last week, among friends black and white,
among some discussion of protests in Ferguson
and the related looting of stores, I invoked
the word. It was an admission, in a round
of confessions, of something about myself
that I didn't like: that I had perceived Michael Brown
in that way based on his possible participation
in a strong-armed robbery.
When Travon Martin was in the news,
I was inflamed like many others who wanted
George Zimmerman in jail for ******
The outcome of that trial was an injustice,
I was utterly certain. Why does this case
in Missouri feel different? More importantly,
Who is inside me that still wants to rise
in defiance of 48 years of learning how
to be a better person, a person without prejudices,
stereotyping, labeling of others, hurtful language?
Where is the hippie girl now? How does she live
with this other person? Am I Sterling, Gibson,
a hater and spewer of viciousness, a lover
of separation and separateness, that I should
invite damage to my own relationships
with those I love and cherish and respect?
What is a **** but a bully, and what is a bully
but someone who pushes words around like
weapons, spits them out indiscriminately,
so that they land on the already bruised heart
and set it on fire.
Whose heart, besides mine, now sits in smoke
and ash, with that word like a brand
still sore and permanent, having been spoken
aloud?
Aug 25, 2014
Aug 25, 2014 at 11:44 AM UTC
eric garner says: i can't breathe
the black community says set my people free
travon martin says: stop following me
his gravestone is all the history we need
a little 9 year old sends a message to the man who shot her daddy
rumain brisbon says: i was just trying to get to my family
slave owners say: we're generations away
but we still have the memory of what we instilled in our family
slaves say: our childrens children will march in the white world and protest their meaning of "protect and serve"
we now have to take what we always deserved
**freedom
equality
life
life without fear of man**
**are you up to the task america?
black america
white america
us america
are you ready for the war?**
**these chains are our past
and we will not let these handcuffs be out future**
Jan 24, 2015
Jan 24, 2015 at 11:37 AM UTC
I refuse to be a slave, Refuse to be a slave anymore God gave me the rights to be free...R.I.P To T.M & M.B. (jus 2 think tht couldve been me) 4 those who arent Paying attention I'm talkin about Travon Martin & the late Mike Brown, **** shame we're still being slaughter because of our skin tone, 2014 Last time I check Racism & abuse should be eliminate (not even in our train of thought as a people) by now!!! We as a people need to make our movement consistent boycotting anything with their pockets involved, injustice has to stop 1way or the other. Solutions should never Include us increasing the violence & killin another n the name of justice that doesnt exist ..
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014 at 6:41 PM UTC