Copyright 2012 by Rochelle Robinson
My little one
how do I tell you
without causing
fear
in your small
loving
unselfish
innocent
six-year old heart
that you
even now
are perceived by many
as a threat
as someone to fear?
My heart breaks just saying this.
The stress and anxiety I feel
is killing me…I know this.
Yet I cannot find
the right breath
the right moment of joy
compassion
love and equanimity
to make this all go away
to keep you safe
to make sure that you have equal
access to your pursuit of happiness
to your birthright…
you deserve better.
As I write this
I know that anyone wishing to cause you harm
is already my enemy
is someone in need of another framework
because the one they hold is centuries old.
Its picture and borders frayed,
torn from malice and murder
lynchings and burnings
intentional harm
jim crow
segregation
fugitive slave acts
constitutional amendments
laws that whites are not bound to honor
To protect your black body
Your black mind.
Strong. Intelligent. Black. Beautiful. Mind.
Poll taxes.
Covenants.
Tuskegee experiments.
Three strike laws.
Stand your ground.
Killing. young. black. males. with. impunity.
Firing. 28. shots. into. a. black. body. and. calling. it. self-defense.
Leaving. a. body. tagged/unidentified. before. notifying. next. of. kin.
Seventy-two.hour. hold. cause. black. life. is. no. life. at. all.
Complete and utter ignorance.
Ignorance. Utterly. Complete.
Your. life. means. more. to. me.
You deserve to be treated with dignity.
