a beginner’s guide to fitting in
Another rewrite of american history already rewritten to paint the US as the good guys
But why am I here?
Why was I forced to speak this colonizer language over that one
I write these words down as the equalizer
No pnin, no dubliners, no great expectations
To win prizes or sign book deals on dragonflies
Instead I’m forced to revisit flashes of time my mind tried so hard to protect me from in order to even get a shot
But here we are
where i keep hearing: vote please
when I live in a state where lines are drawn to erase us
you can’t vote hard enough for people to stop disappearing
But we can vote soft enough to keep brunch going
They might as well stop sending tax dollars and luxuries to them states.
Instead keep it to fund fast passes to heavens gates front lines.
Explain to Saint Peter how a fist in the air and a black square made the world spin again
Just in time for you to catch a ride to a march where the end goal is speeches by people you ain’t ever listen to.
Don’t forget to Take pictures for the ‘gram with your fist in the air like a tourist in the zoo of oppression.
like you’re hearing them deport people that look like me and you’re like ‘lemme justify it’.
like you’re hearing them deport people that finally look like you and you’re like ‘about that.
Let’s honor the land with an acknowledgement
Let’s acknowledge what still hasn’t been said. What stories still haven’t been heard and then erase them.
Do not comply in advance is a lie when you already signed the terms and conditions with every pledge of allegiance
You honor the US flag, one people, under god.
i don’t get how you can read a history book and think this country was ever great
i don’t comprehend how you can look at the immigrants who was forced to leave their homes and say this is the land of the free
When Minimum wage is paid out at seven dollars and twenty five years of the therapy cus no one’s able to afford consistent advice.
Well here’s some for free.
i encourage you to act in line with your values not your feelings
I don’t understand how you can hear our words and still say reform the system
That’s probably because you still think peace is the goal
Peace for who
Peace for quiet
Peace for bread
When all we want is to enjoy the seasons while we have them
So years from now, they may inspire poems
So years from now, when the words, my people been screaming, don’t fall on deaf ears
So years from now, we have a chance
To fall in love
To fall out of love
To know peace
Not your piece
But the stillness after liberation
I walked to the cupboard today to grab a glass for water
I’m parched
After cycle after cycle after cycle of many faces, repeating the same thing
We’re too loud
too persistent
too much of a reminder of how this place ain’t built for us
We’re always gonna be too loud for people who had no intention to listen to us
Like they do at the intersections when the light is red and it’s taking too long
Instead of listening to us when asked if you wanted to come over for dinner
And break off a peace for bread
and that’s how you build a community out of consistencies and inconveniences
Out of hard conversations and tears and anger and frustration but also laughter cus you ain’t gotta pay for the sins of your father
No one’s asking for that
We’re just saying don’t give your children sins to begin with
