the dichotomy ... a poem

the dichotomy

I struggle with
This land is not our home
but it's the only home we know

Dwelling in a forsaken land
unwanted for who we are
but exploited for economic benefit

Expected to combat violence
with peace
leaves me wondering when
there's a time for everything under the sun

Pondering when the God of Justice
will burn this place down -
as the flood drowned all evil
and the rainbow signified a new beginning -
From the ashes, rebirth will arise

Tonight, I write.
Tomorrow, I'll be in the streets
with my people
Surrounded by them

And now I realize Home is not a place
It never was
but Home is with the people I love.

~cdw~
11.26.14

Stand... a poem.

Stand*

drowned in the Atlantic seas

chained and whipped on our knees

noose-tight rope, hanging from trees

blood on the ground

blood on the leaves

it seems some things will never change

bodies burned and bodies hanged

like target practice at a gun range

oh no, it's not murder

our black skin is to blame

are we yet tired of reasoning with the insane?

what do we really think we'll gain?

freedom to spend a little change?

they give us money today

tomorrow it's gone again

it's wisest to never argue with a fool

no use in obeying a corrupt rule

or voting for an oppressive tool

we cannot win

with a knife at a duel

we have no choice but to unite

to stand together as one and fight

and God Almighty stands with the right

we must not flee --

there's nowhere to take flight

with shoulders back and our pride tall

stand side by side, an unmovable wall

like brick and mortar, we cannot fall

we'll stand our ground --

they can't kill us all. 

~cdw~

02/16/14

*For Trayvon, Jordan and all of our sons and daughters who've lost their lives in "the land of the free and home of the brave."

I Cry for Our Trayvons ... a poem

I Cry for Our Trayvons

I cry for Trayvons around the country
not just because they are slaughtered
with no remorse or repentance
and not only because they're too young
with too many years of life left to live
and too much promise before them

I cry for our Trayvons
not just because they're precious human beings
made in the image of God
and look like my younger brother, little cousins
our even our president 30 or so years ago

No, I cry for our Trayvons
because the society we live in doomed them
from birth

Because America's sick systems
brand them as feared criminals
before they ever pick up a toy gun

recite words from a rap song 

or spend hours playing Halo

I cry for our Trayvons
because they have to prove their humanity
as if they weren't born with a beating heart
a malleable mind
God's breath in their lungs
and the potential to live as US citizens, unquestioned

I weep and I sob
because the ONLY ones who care are few
because there is NO hope the way things remain
because Americans resist REAL change

because over 400 years later 

this land remains the same

 

and

 

I shake my head 

because we walk around like sheep, blind and dumb
chasing silver and gold that we can't attain
refusing to love but expecting to be loved

ignorant of our identity, history -- the Truth!

and condemning without caring about black youth

 

I'm tired of shedding tears over spilled blood on the leaves
or moaning for a country that doesn't care about me or my babies
Marching in the streets won't change anything

Do we lack the courage to do what's really necessary?

~cdw~
7/23/13