MLKJ DAY

Then and Now

I’m grateful for MLKJR
The man who took a stand
Sharing a dream
That all should be free
We must believe
Giving us a plan
To join hands
Across a land
But we let go
Let hate flow
And guns blow
And fires glow
From churches
We used to go
To pray
Now kids lay
Dead
Because someone let
Fate rest
On the color test
Of their skin
“It’s not a sin”
They say
So they slay
Then walk away
With no regret
And we forget
That it happened
We keep passin
Each other
We don’t talk
We don’t walk
TOGETHER
We shake our heads
At the dead
But we’re dead
Don’t exist
Cuz we missed
The person beside us
Cuz they aren’t like us
We never think
We could link
How come
We’re never one
Always run
From what could be
If we could all agreed
That we’re all the same
Playin one game
In this thing we call life
Can we ease the strife?
Stop seeing black and white
It’s not right
Only got one life
And we’re dying
Cuz of the fightin
Long ago
It must go
This is now
Here’s how
Stop hatin
That’s Satan
I’m white
That’s right
And I rhyme
Is that a crime?
And you’re black
Imagine that
We both breathe air
We both care
Why not share
Our cares
We both live
Why not give
We both cry
And die
Why
Not
TOGETHER?

I watched steel birds intrude
Where airplanes don’t belong
I never would have guessed
That a plane could be a bomb
But I was wrong
To ever believe
The land of the free
Could never bleed
But she did
We all did
The towers fell
Some went to hell
Some better off
Their families in pain
And the ones to blame
Don’t even care
They’re over there
Hiding in caves
Their victims in graves
Moms and Dads
Never came home
Kids all alone
Smoke filled the city
The scene wasn’t pretty
Streets were a mess
So were our hearts
Fams ripped apart
Soldiers left with guns
All were sons
Some had sons
Of their own
SOME came home
DIFFERENT
They were defendin
Me and you
Red, white, and blue
So stop hatin
Appreciate them
Who knows
What kind of blows
Could have come
If we had run
Been 7 years
Still cry tears
Still have fears
Still today
Still in our minds
In 2009
Never be the same
Things are
DIFFERENT

If I could I would go back in time
To the Jews that stood in the lines
Tell them those “showers”
Had powers
To kill in minutes
Not hours
It would prolong the pain
What’s more insane?
Poison rain
Loss of name
Reasonless pain
Undeserved blame
Help came
But it was too late
Was death their fate?
From the day
They stepped in the gate?
Or did it end?
They were swept away
Like leaves in the wind
And people pretend
Try to defend
Say it’s a myth
They should take a trip
With a girl, just a kid
Who ran and hid
There were no boys
Or toys
Only fears
Of being destroyed
Only fears
Lots of tears
Loss of years
But not her days
They’re on a page
Read to this day
Where’s her grave?
Never gave
No respect
When she left
Only now
Words read proud
In our schools
Don’t be fools
Kids can’t lie
All that time
Don’t be blind
Open your mind
And Never
Ever
EVER
Let it happen again
THE END