Resilient Roots

To all my Black Brothers and Sisters,

We are smart.

We are one of many kinds.

And, damn right, we are important.

We are melanated

bodies of sunshine.

Through rain, sleet, and snow

We still find

the strength to grow.

Like the rose that grew

From concrete,

We are manifested miracles

Shining light for the next generation

Lifting their burdens without hands.

This is levitation

This is the first step to free them

‒breaking the chains built to weigh them down.

We mapped out our dreams in the darkness.

We radiated enough

Black brilliance to illuminate the night sky

And guide our children to freedom.

We are midnight constellations.

We are both black and magic.

We conjured up enough

Hymns of hope

To heal all that is broke.

But we ain’t broke.

We are alive.

We waded through His water

And reached the Otherside.

We are powerful.

We were thrown onto this battlefield without supplies,

But still we improvised and we survived.

Because We are resilient

It took us centuries to get here.

But, Ain’t God good?

And ain’t We great.