I’m tired of being prosecuted,
For something I had nothing to do with.
Can I please walk down a street
Without being regarded,
As a piece of meat
or simply retarded?
Excuse my rude jargon
But I’m sick of this racial jail cell that I’m barred in.
Labeled at birth as both African and American
But despite my hard work, my worth to some is still less than.
I question
Whether anyone cares about black men,
When the rich and the white seem to be the only ones who represent them.
But how can I be upset when
Our president is Black
How can I be upset when
We finally left Iraq
Because politics aside
The black community has come to a divide
Whether I
Refuse to learn to spell
Use the word Nigger that signifies our slavery
Or better yet reserve a jail cell
Should I
Barely survive or become an alumni
Blame the government for being born with a death sentence
Or become a responsible politician/parent
Our community has adopted ignorance as its religion
We drank so much Kool-Aid It’s now in our tradition
Should I be a victim or a gangster
Smart or a danger
Should I die in every movie
Or continue to be judged like the world is a jury
The worst part that really bothers me
Is that I’m a minority in a minority
Being literate makes me white
Like intelligent is something blacks can’t afford to be
We don’t have enough money for change or common sense
Wasting it all on the thugs, drugs, and ignorance
How can a freed Community
Now refuse to be truly free?
It’s almost as though we’ve forgotten our history
Like we no longer have dreams
It almost seems as though we reverted back to slavery
Fettered by the shackles of hate and stupidity
That was the reason they were placed upon our people originally
I’m suspicious of where this all came from
Who placed a limit on our average incomes
And portrayed us as monkeys with opposable thumbs
But instead of shaking my fist at the sky
I write and fight so life is better for all mankind
Black history Month is a chance to remind
Us of those who put their lives on the line
So we could realize even though our skin is black
We still shine
That’s what our community is
We originate not from hood rats and rap
But from those fought to freely live
Warriors who fought and died for us
That’s our history, we chose to stay on the bus
So we could have the same rights as everyone does.
Black History Month is a chance for us to honor our fallen hero’s
The fact that we’re identified now as African American and not as them Negroes
The fact that we can shoot for the stars instead of just free-throws (and other people)
That is why this is necessary
That is why we need it
So the forces of ignorance will forever be defeated
I’ve identified the disease but we have to want to treat it
And honoring Black History Month, celebrating where we came from
Is the best treatment
— Samuel Woods-Corr