The Dream, The Vision

Gunshots have fired.

A young brother hits the ground,

The blood of a doe

Spilt on the pavement.

The crime is not of character,

Complexion is the indictment

And the reason for a mother

To have to bury her sweet child.

Hearing the tragedy

Inspired me

I looked to my right and I saw

That I was not alone.

“No justice, no peace”

On signs and on TV,

People lying in the streets,

Lady Liberty can’t breathe.

Then I looked to my left and saw

Those who have forgotten,

Who perpetuate stereotypes,

Those who are lost and

I climbed atop the tallest thing nearest to me

Not a soapbox, a park bench I believe

And I looked to the Lord to bless

Me with the strength to say this:

“Brothers and sisters,

How can you be so satisfied?

Do you not know the crimes

Taking place in our lives?

We’re in the land of the free,

So why does our freedom come with chains

That have oppressed us for centuries

That keep us far from living the same?”

Everyone stopped and looked my way,

Some confused.

“You’re a child.

Could you know of

Shackles and chains?”

Others annoyed.

“Hold your peace

Leave preaching for pastors!”

But still I continued:

“I do not know how the world should be,

I must admit,

But blind violence, hate, and bias,

It can’t be like this!

If it is…

Then something’s got to give

Because it’s time for a change;

Change is long overdue.

To my community as a whole,

Crimes against our own,

Do not make us strong.

It just takes the weight off

The backs of those individuals

Wishing we were gone.

A house divided cannot stand

A race divided shall fall

We must unite!

Remain soldiers,

Because the war is not won

To my men and boys,

Know you are more than criminals and thugs.

You are what the slaves had so hopefully

Dreamed of.

So untie the flags that keep some divided.

Put down the guns that many survive with.

Truth is now your only weapon.

Love is your new survival tactic.

To my women and girls,

Know we are more than hips and thighs.

We are catalysts to change.

Strong hearts.

Fiery eyes.

Enough is enough,

We surpass demeaning names and stereotypes

Laid out by the media through its twisted portrayal of black women’s lives.

My young people,

Know we must keep our heads high

And not exhibit shame

In our looks or ostracize any other for theirs.

Why care who’s dark and who’s fair?

Fair skin does not define your beauty,

Your heart does.

Dark skin does not define your worth,

Your heart does

Curly hair does not define your competence,

And neither does straight.

So why do we divide ourselves

On the basis of these traits?

We fight for the same side,

Can we please try and act like it?

For those who want equality,

Let us change,

Starting now.

Let us unite,

Starting now

The Revolution is

Starting now!”

Then I looked in the faces of the crowd

Saw hope and inspiration in those

Who had heard me.

They tore down the dividing walls I had revealed,

Looked in the eye of their neighbor and saw friend not foe

Many took to the streets and joined those marches

Women wore their natural hair happily and the media was confronted.

Those prodigal sons found their way back from sin

And those who had forgotten the fight, had remembered again.

It’s fun to dream.

In dreams,

You can stand fearlessly on your soapbox

And know people will listen

They will not boo you down

Or misconstrue the message.

Reality is cold

But today I got bold

Turned my dream into a poem

Turned my dream into a vision

This stage, this page, this platform is my soapbox

This is my message and I hope it brings power to all those who hear this