freedom.: BLACK POETRY
9/1/2018
They beat us in the open
They incarcerate us to teach us a lesson
They shoot us in the back
They shoot us because we are black
#Poems #Hatred
9/2/2018
It doesn’t matter if you’re innocent
What matters is the color of your skin
It doesn’t matter if you’re fault free
What matters is your pedigree
#Poems #Justice
9/3/2018
Dead under 22
Is nothing new
Black and young
They beat us
Until we’re numb
Shoot me in the back
Because I’m black
Justice ain’t served
Your skin color gives you the nerve
#Poems #Love
9/4/2018
You can touch me
But I can’t touch you
You can lie and cheat
But I can never have deceit
You’re always right
I’m always wrong
You’re white
But you love our song
#Poems #BlackCulture
9/5/2018
That shit…
Bit me in the ass
I’m doing 15
Cause I was seen
I’m stuck in this cage
Don’t matter my age
Don’t matter if I’m right
Don’t matter if I’m wrong
What matters is I’m black
My record is done
I ain’t never gonna know my son
#Poems #TheJusticeSystem
9/6/2018
Institutionalized
Right before our eyes
I thought slavery was over
What happened to what we fought for
Racism is still going strong
Being black is still wrong
#Poems #RacismStillExists
9/7/2018
They fear us
Because of what society teaches
We fear them
Because of their privilege
#Poems #WhitePrivilege
9/8/2018
The color of skin
Is the measurement of men
Coffee’d skin
Gets beaten
Ivory skin
Gets praised like heaven
#Poems #SkinColor
9/9/2018
These tears I cry
Have felt some pain
In this cage
I’m pushed to insane
_
I barely stand
With thorough fear
Nail in my hands
Jesus are you here?
_
I see you pray
Through a crack
I can barely breathe
I’m in the sack
_
I can’t hide now
Privacy gone
I’m with myself
Feeling forlorn
_
Are you there?
Can you hear me?
Are you there?
Fighting for me
_
The air brushes your face
But I can’t breathe
You feel the wind
While I suffocate
_
When will I go
And where will I stay
Who will love me
And who will pray
_
Why did this happen
And how are you here
You’re always there
And you’re always near
_
The snow falls down
Like tears on my face
The snow falls down
Like my own condemned race
_
I’m losing it
I can’t go on
I’m dying inside
My cause is gone
_
Why am I here
There is nothing left
Why am I here
Today I wept
_
Help me help me
I’m drifting away
I’m no one now
On my knees I pray
_
#Poems #Incarceration
9/10/2018
5 times stronger
Half a year longer
We aren’t somber
We are stronger
_
5 months have gone by
We are here and alive
We look up to the sky
Into the ocean we dive
_
As five we stand
As a unit our strength is infinite like the sand
Covering us in His hand
He’ll never forsake us
He has a plan
_
#Poems #FamilyIsEverything
9/11/18
Until it’s taken away
You think little of it
#Freedom
9/12/18
I was asleep, but now I’m awake
I was so still, but now I feel
I was numb, but now life has begun
#Poems #Choices
9/13/18
I wait and pray
I wait throughout the day
I wait for His final say
I wait knowing it will be okay
I wait on my knees I stay
I wait to know the right way
I wait for my mind to clear the gray
I wait
#Poems #Patience #Hope
9/14/18
As tears roll down my face
I am trusting that the morning will come
As regret fills my face
I am trusting that the morning will come
As I sigh fearing I’ve shamed my race
I am trusting that the morning will come
As I’m accused because of my race
I am trusting that the morning will come
#Poems #Patience #Hope
9/15/18
The man who is removed from society
She expected him to crumble, to go mad in his isolation
The man who is removed from society
She expected him to be filled with resentment and hatred at her, at God, at society
Little does she know that this man is stronger than the others
Little does she know that when she removed this man from society, he will rise, not fall
The man who is removed from society
Little does she know removing this man from society only makes him stronger, better than ever
The man who is removed from society
Little does she know removing this man from society will be the greatest thing she could ever do to this man
The man who is removed from society
Little does she know that by removing this man from society, she has given him a gift — a gift of enlightenment and a fresh start
The man who is removed from society
This man, coerced into seclusion, quickly recognizes just how surrounded he is
The man who is removed from society
For he recognizes he is truly not alone. In fact, his support system is amplified. For he is not alone
#Poems #Resilience
Inspired and written by: P.D. Harris
9/16/18
Their skin color is their shield
Their skin color put us in the field
Their skin color puts them first
Our skin color leaves us with unquenchable thirst
Their skin color is what blinds them
Our skin color makes them find us
#Poems #BlackSkin
9/17/18
I weep myself to sleep tonight
I pray that God will hear my cry
My eyes are wet
My heart is heavy
I fear my life
Is gone from every
#Poems #Despair
9/18/18
On my knees I pray
Hear me God, I say
Hold me close
Don’t let go
Storms are near
God stay here
Keep me warm
Prevent the harm
Protect me now
Show me how
#Poems #Prayer
9/19/18
God is gracious
God is kind
God is with me
All the time
God is here
God is near
God is with me everywhere
#Poems #Prayer
9/20/18
Your inhibition is no coincidence
You were raised to never see innocence
You walk by with more fear
After each year and after each year
You claim you’re not
Until you’re caught
You don’t even know
But your silent racism has an echo
#Poems #SilentRacism
9/21/18
All lives matter
But it’s okay to say
Black Lives Matter, Too
#Poems #BlackLivesMatter
9/22/18
As I come out the womb
The gun goes boom
I don’t have a chance
My future is in their hands
#Poems #BlackLivesMatter
9/23/18
When challenges come
Wait
When life is pressing you down
Wait
When you’re crying inside
Wait
When pain overtakes you
Wait
When addiction haunts you
Wait
When sin catches you
Wait
When all seems lost
Wait
When you don’t count the cost
Wait
When you make a mistake
Wait
When you lose faith
Wait
When you don’t know what’ll happen
Wait
When you’re about to give up
Wait
When you can’t hear God
Wait
#Poems #Patience
9/24/18
Roses are red
But slavery is black
Why was this country built by my back?
Violets are blue
But skin color ain’t new
Reparations were asked for
But nothing ensued
#Poems #Slavery #Reparations
9/25/18
Let me take back
My one mistake
Instead of having you watch
My whole life break
#Poems #Injustice
9/26/18
In pieces I came
In pieces I leave
Generational stuff
Has left me maim
#Poems #AfricanAmericans #Slavery #Generations
9/27/18
The hardest part
was seeing him sad
The hardest part
was seeing him get mad
The hardest part
was watching his dependency
The hardest part
was witnessing their indecency
The hardest part
was witnessing their codependence
The hardest part
was seeing he had no independence
The hardest part
was seeing them fall
The hardest part
was getting that call
The hardest part
was watching it all
The hardest part
was not catching the ball
#Poems #Trauma
9/28/18
All I see are clouds
On a sunny day
I’m always gone
far somewhere away
I look both ways
possibly too much
I think what my heart is carrying
is getting to be too tough
The fear almost lost me
But I found myself in time
God saved me
He showed me a sign
I think I found hope
when i thought all was lost
The sun came out
When I was surrounded by frost
#Poems #Freedom
9/29/18
When you’re angry
Channel it wisely
Don’t sin in your rage
Become like a sage
Fight with your intelligence
Never with ignorance
Counter their hate
By creating your own fate
#Poems #Empower
9/30/18
We are all meant to love and respect each other
But so few of us realize it