death will come | ||
on the day it wants | ||
dressed as it pleases | ||
at the time he chooses | ||
death will come | ||
of that there is little doubt | ||
how it will be received | ||
is the matter here | ||
#youwillnotkillmetoday | ||
with ignorance | ||
because you hate me | ||
because of my melanin | ||
because I long to be free | ||
because I demand equality | ||
#youwillnotkillmetoday | ||
there are traps by my | ||
front door | ||
armed guards at the | ||
back of my mind | ||
least you try to | ||
slip in with me | ||
unaware today | ||
is not your day | ||
if old age comes | ||
soft to drape me | ||
in forever I will | ||
graciously away | ||
but today is not that day | ||
miles to travel | ||
more forward to draw | ||
from the mud | ||
more errands for my ancestors | ||
more clever cartography | ||
more dancing tomorrow | ||
from fractured todays’ | ||
and hard lived yesterdays | ||
I have grown tough skin | ||
over my hope | ||
I water it with pragmatism | ||
I am vigilant and will | ||
not be set upon unaware | ||
I anticipate you in my dreams | ||
and have drawn a circle in | ||
salt around your intentions | ||
wrapped a prayer in white | ||
cloth delivered it to a tree | ||
that knows your name | ||
I have talked to the dust | ||
& the wind about you | ||
and they whisper my name | ||
before yours as life naturally | ||
proceeds death | ||
#youwillnotkillmetoday | ||
I am the promise risen | ||
from the ocean | ||
I am what grows outside | ||
the fences you build | ||
the rising whine at | ||
the back of your worried | ||
fretful mind (yes | ||
the other shoe will drop) | ||
bells are for tolling | ||
as each dog has a sun | ||
rise suns set on all houses | ||
this is not your day | ||
today I walk upright unafraid | ||
continuing to dance on oppression | ||
drumming for justice | ||
walking against the wind | ||
up every hill since the good ship jesus & plymouth rock | ||
I am the sword and the stone | ||
carrying darkness like a banner inviting creation
I am my machetes are sharp my powder is dry I have left yucca for the left-handed child iron in my right pocket honey in my hand #youwillnotkillmetoday I have banished you from the land of my dreams I want not I suffer not I am the living circle unbroken #youwillnotkillmetoday image: by Jimmy Nelson |
-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Queen Dee on a final dream of flight Denise Wooten on crazy((NPM2017 # 8) August Wilson and Fe… on The American Century Cycle platonegro on shoestrings chelleechauxnuff on shoestrings Archives
- July 2020
- April 2020
- July 2019
- October 2018
- May 2018
- September 2017
- August 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- September 2012
- July 2012
- May 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- February 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
Categories
- (NPM2017)
- artist scholar
- arts scholarship
- August Wilson
- belonging
- Black Arts
- Brick House Collection
- Craft
- drama instruction
- film review
- first language
- Grounding One's Self On A Moving Train
- I'm Just Saying!
- INK
- journal
- Letter's From Lover's Rock
- Life.
- literacy through the arts
- mentoring
- non fiction essay
- non-fiction
- North American African Perspective
- Performance work
- Performing Arts
- place
- Poems for the Water
- Poetry
- right handed poems
- spokenword
- Tales of Iron and Water
- That New Millennium Dime
- The Gratitudes
- The Horse Eaters
- the lower bottom playaz
- Theater
- Uncategorized
- warrior art
- work in progress
Meta