Our grandmothers with scars on their backs.
Our men enslaved in jumpsuits, their hats blowing down the street.
Our bodies in boats hobbling across the sea.
Our wrists dragged down by invisible cuffs.
Our toes dangling at the top of postcards.
The ruins of the Greenwood District filling the unemployment office.
The heads downcast, death-marching down the sidewalk.
The silent cry of a woman’s “NO.”
The batons that spray blood as they swing up and down.
The K9 teeth sinking into marching legs.
Wide-eyed baby girls staring at dolls strung up in trees.
Bombs punishing high-rises and executing tourists.
Hearts that don’t beat good, their tom…. tomtomtoms unheard.
Phyllis Wheatley on trial for writing while Black.
A home, where Spiderman sneakers may stand on hardwood floors and a welcome mat, so we may learn the melody of jingling housekeys, so little infants may find a window to gaze out of while they dream, where our recipe boxes may be filled to the brim, so hangers have a purpose and closets overflow, where heads may rest on pillows and blankets after a long day of fighting for what we should have since Lady Liberty was a toddler.
We desire land.
We pray for an end.
We write for peace.
We fight for freedom.
By any means necessary.
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Author:
Ellie (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: October 10th, 2025 14:07
- Comment from author about the poem: This was inspired by the Black Panthers' 10 Points. I've always admired their work and, in these difficult times, encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the Black Panthers' story. We need to emulate their power and resistance and see their vision for ourselves.
- Category: Sociopolitical
- Views: 6
Offline)
Comments4
A poem with multiple metaphors or allegories that speak in various ways to the reader. Nicely written
A very nicely written piece making reference to darker days gone by, that sadly still are prevalent in today's society.
Thanks for an introduction to the
Thanks for the introduction to The Ten Point Plan.
A rich write.
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