*In the wake of George Floyd’s murder while in police custody on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, I struggled to find my voice. When it finally struck, it was at 2:00 a.m. on May 28. There is no filter here. Please ingest with caution. 

If we must to war
Rest assured we will die
But better like this
Than at the crooked hand
Of any blue-clad whites
Who provoke a perverse
Pivot back to a segregated past
Where ink on a
1964 Civil Rights Bill,
Which hasn’t bothered to last,
Dies over the graves
Of an exhausted generation
Who spoke of better days
For us

When those babies stood up
Against Bull Connor
And marched the racist streets of
“Bombingham” with Dr. King
As silenced adults stayed home
With bottles in their mouths,
Afraid to blink,
And risk their jobs,
As water hoses speared the
Innocent backsides
Of the
Beautiful brown skin
Of their children like knives…
Yet, 56 years later,
The grandchildren of those babies
Die in American-sanctioned
Hebrew genocides nationwide,
Full lives
Unlived.

If we must to war
Be sure
You are driven
By a heavenly Word
To stir a pot
That’s rotten
Like forgotten gumbo in NOLA
When the Levees Broke
Like the Ebola,
Now it’s Corona…

DON’T TELL ME WHAT THE HELL TO GET OVA
WHEN TWO EPIDEMICS ARE RACING TO KILL
ME, MY HUSBAND, SON & DAUGHTERS IN THESE STREETS!

Between Corona and Racism
I don’t know what to think!

They blasted Ahmaud
Before the quarantine hit
Had nerve to try and hide it
Shot Breonna cold dead
In her bed
Then kneeled down on
The neck
Of George, our gentle giant
May all our senselessly dead
Rest in sweet heavenly peace
Couldn’t speak
Cuz my brotha
Couldn’t breath!

AND NONE OF THE OTHER THREE
MOVED TO BLOCK IT
MAMA…
MAMA, HELP ME
STOP THIS!

I. CAN’T. BREATH, Ameri-KKK!!!!

I’m on fire like Minneapolis
Your Targets are a target
What a pity, this city…
Now havoc is runnin’
Cuz you were gunnin’
To remove me from
This rat race
With your racist
Maliciousness
Now pace yourself
Because one thing I know

Is if we must war
Heaven already knew
He told us
In Ecclesiastes 3
Verse 16 divided by
Two Tales of America
Prophesied this sore
White people, I ask
What are you waiting for?

You hugged me
Said you loved me
Said you cared
Will you now dare
Your privilege to
Take on this massive demon
And help gain victory
For a detested Hebrew like me?
He said,
To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose
Under His sun

Now…is the time to SPEAK!
Now…is the time to BREAK DOWN!
NOW…is the time to WAR!!!!

War against a system
That spills our blood
Too easily into the streets
And laughs mockingly at the anguish
That consumes our souls

Through unequal education,
Incorrigible wages,
And pathetic healthcare
All the while
A false smile
An inhumane hand
Stabbing us in the back
Like the forgotten stepchild
As we rise to take a stand
For being Hebrew
But He knew
The thoughts
The plans
And they aren’t few…
So…

If we must to war
Heaven prophesied this sore
White people, I ask again
What are you still waiting for?
Whatcha gonna do about
Bad cops, bad cops…
Whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do
When Yah comes for you?

If we must,
We will die.
For He has already
Given prophecy of
Ultimate victory
Over your unbridled hate!

Rest in peace, Mr. George Floyd, and the too many black lives senselessly lost due to racist and rogue police.

Video timeline of Mr. Floyd’s final moments on May 25, 2020:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/30/video-timeline-george-floyd-death/?arc404=true