At the Mercy of Courage

I brought people together on the yard
after seeing what is replayed on the news
I gave a speech
at Harambee African Cultural Organization
it was entitled, “pure evil”
fro! the New York governors media address
after the mass shooting
of predominantly innocent
black people shopping at a store
on a sunny Saturday
not in the hood where people will shoot back
but cowardly to unassuming people
and I cried all throughout the speech
because I’m hurt
it hurt
because I know this is going to continue
and no one really cares but for a moment
and I felt called to do something unprecedented
instead of express and externalize
hateful energy as vengeance
and ego penance
towards white people
I saw what was going on
puppet masters wrenching our emotions
fueling hate enough until
a man decides to prove he believes what he believes
hoping to awaken other slumberers
believing he’s in a war
and on the other side
people are grieving and reeling
from life loss and continual crimes
against their being
and are getting tired as well
wanting others to wake up
all the while the puppet masters
have us right where we are designed to be
I took it upon myself to call blacks, whites, and Mexicans together
and I spoke to them from the heart
about what’s going on
and the opportunity we have
as well about true history
structures institutions and empathy
and I read my spoken word
I wanted maybe a handful
instead I got almost 30 people
on short notice on the weekend
white people included
the moral to why I’m sharing this
for anyone reading
if you silent
you not doing enough
if you only meditating and praying
you not doing enough
if you only talking to your friends and people that look like you
you not doing enough
it takes courage
it takes embracing discomfort
and finding comfort in the truth you are speaking to
this is what feeds, sustains and nurtures the heart
my message is half a message
if white men were not there
and they had to brave some truth and just listen
while others made faces and remarks beneath
but had no courage to speak
I became the target and the stage
coming in the form of love
as well as offering any opportunity for satisfaction
if anyone felt some kind of way
now that ain’t for everyone
and I had some friends that was weary and didn’t agree
but slowly trickled
and I had some that was riding just because it was me
and listened,
not taking any risk of me going it alone
because they know what I stand for and stand on
I earned that love and trust
it’s different in prison than the free world
you all are much more safe to be courageous
so what are you waiting for
start hearing your neighbor’s pain
hear how you placate it
how you can help heal it
how you may be ignorant of it
turn off your ego
and bleed with someone inside
and don’t just wait to see the blood seep outside
the pain has been there for a long time
and we have been waiting to heal
to feel safe
to feel like people
for a long time.
now what specifically I spoke about on this day
that’s for another day
but for now
get out of your way
and get in the way
of all this hate
cuz it effects us all
…was there shit said afterwards amongst divided crowds
yes!
but the seed was planted
and it will germinate upon its own time
all one can do is plant it
and tend to it throughout time
God, the Universe, the Sun
or the natural courses of life
however you reason it be
will do what they do
without my involvement
and over handling
because to want someone to change
on your own time and terms
is not the way of the Heart
but the mind
and its thirsty ego
I threw a good seed
my pocket became empty for the day
and that’s all I can do
my heart spoke
and I answered it