Amerikkka.

Yesterday, I stood in
front of our Courthouse,
while a man drove by
shouting at the top of his
lungs, "White power!"

If you think racism is
not prevalent, not still
oozing out of the crevices
of white-washed sidewalks,
you are living in a tone-deaf
world, where you'd rather
wash blood-soaked hands
after tucking the American
flag in at night
than face any criticism.

Your hands are stained,
despite the ounces of soap
you used,
(my hands, too, bear the
blame and shame).

This land is crying out,
soil that has been betrayed
and seeks justice, not just
for one man,
but for all.

All the names we keep
adding in permanent marker,
all the names dismissed
by media, all the names we
choose not to hear because the
"police had to protect their own".

The system isn't broken -
it was never designed to
benefit anyone but the
white arms we greedily
take and take with.

This will never be the land
of the free until there is no
excessive force used,
until badges no longer serve
as gloating reminders of death,
until every person of color can
experience and taste and eat
merrily from an endless banquet
of freedom,

where they can just

exist.