to those fearing woke…

my soul will not bleed
you may tear away my flesh
torture these old bones
scream obscenities
but i have learned of the truth
and understand my self-worth
so your words and deeds
cannot penetrate my soul
centuries of lies
used as societal chains
no longer bound my future
to your perspective of life
without breath or pulse
i would rather be than forced
to live as a slave to your will

 

 

test preparation…

the brown bag prophet
was busy writing
at a park bench
when i was
on my way home
when i inquired
as to
what he was writing
the prophet
said
i’m preparing
some questions
to replace
those removed
by
the college board
about
real
american history
regarding blacks
what do you
think about
this one
what does
the name
desantis
have in common
with the following words
racist
homophobic
fascist
apartheid
maybe this one
should also
be
included
how is
mussolini
to
hitler
as
desantis
is to
trump
oh hell
maybe we should
do away
with the whole
college board
since
it seems
just to be
another
political entity
and
god knows
we don’t need
another
one
of
those

school board agenda…

critical race theory
critical theory
of
race
critical
of
race theory
theory
critical
of
race
critical to
erase
theory
critical
to
erase
race

 

 

the black artist…

rarely invited
though
he’s neatly dressed
small
sweater holes
apparent
fame
for him
has been
a shell game
his life’s work
and
gifts to others
have been 
overlooked
hidden behind
a wall
of
prejudice

 

 

how democracy died…

small infected cut
not visible to the eye
but soon it’s poison
entered the body’s blood stream
shutting down vital organs

made-ahead meals…

child
seems like
every channel
i
turn to
has one of those
cooking competitions
do you remember
when your mom
bought
that
turquoise
easy-bake oven
for
christmas
and
we made
stuff
the dog
wouldn’t even eat
well sugar
they even got
a show
with
an easy-bake oven
for
adults
adults who are
either
trying to win
some
cash
or
just some
time away
from
their children
in any case
there’s always
some panel
of
judges
who dish out
verdicts
in the same manner
as
the justice system
so
what you bake
or
cook
is still evaluated
by
the way you look
so
honey
it ain’t
no competition
just
confirmation

some nasty scars…

beneath the layers
of red white and blue fabric
are some serious wounds
that have not completely healed
and though they are kept concealed
they’re ever-present
oozing an infectious hate
into the bloodstream
of even those not yet born
part of their inheritance
an inheritance
of denied national crimes
covered over with
the fabric of myths and lies
revisions to history
protection rewrites
turning criminals into
national martyrs
while the true martyrs that died
are ignored cuz it’s bad press
the founding fathers
started this whole mess so it’s
not too surprising
scars are deeply embedded
into the nation’s body
what’s most upsetting
is it appears that gangrene’s
in the nation’s mind
those once thought to be insane
now are heralded as leaders
surely this maddness
is a harbinger of death
the death of freedom
and of all our aspirations
for a true democracy

 

 

the back of the bus…

welcome
have a seat
at
the rear
of
the bus
we’ve
designed it
so
it looks
just
like
the front
only
looking to
where
we’ve been
it even comes
with
its own
humanoid driver
fashioned
to look
like
lincoln
for we know
how much
your
people
admire him
even though
his motives
for
your emmancipation
were
less
egalitarian
than
you’ve
fantasized
however
that has
served us well
you
continue
to
blindly vote
for
our candidates
out of
allegiance to the past
and
we’d like for you
to
continue
so we
place
center stage
one or two
of
yours
on
every
campaign camera angle
remember
even if we limit
your voting rights
we
want you to stay
right

a simple choice…

if we gather up
all
the helpless children
of
the world
and
place
their starving bodies
into
a pit
telling you
that
only a handful
can be saved
then
ask you
who shall we save
most
of you
would choose
the ones
that
look
the most
like you
some of you
will
protest
and
declare that
you
would save
a broad spectrum
of
children
not dependent
upon
race
but
look into that pit again
stare
into those
sad emaciated eyes
tears dried on skin
and tell me again
skin
would not be considered

and you were expecting what…

from its inception
the law
has been
unequal
for those
under
it
its function
has been
and
continues
to be
to
maintain
servitude
and
the clear
separation
of
the haves
from
the have nots
a systematic method
of
oppression
that gives
the illusion
of
freedom
and
the fasle expectation
of
impartial justice
bolstered
by
the bedtime stories
from
history
about
heroic acts
that
never occurred
or
occurred
in
a less than
courageous
manner