we need
less white antics
and more white allies
less white advantage
and more black vantage
less speeches
and more performances
less denial
and more admission
less passivity
and more involvement
less color
and more culture
less exclusivity
and more inclusiveness
more questions
and even more answers
and most of all
we need LOVE
Culture
duty bound
preserve Life
reserve Property
restore Order
but which are most valued
paradox
dear world,
I’ve changed
I’m a black man leaving prison soon to a
virus pandemic
economic pandemic
and a social and systemic pandemic
all which affect black and brown people the most
so its hard to be excited to come back to you because
well, you’ve demanded my change
but I see you still haven’t changed much at all
social seesaw
when white people are involved
pains absolve
when black people are involved
pains evolve
when white people are involved
problems solved
when black people get involved
answers dissolve
equilibrium is at a loss
equality, at what cost?
what should we leave off
after all, there’s no balance on seesaws
Juneteenth
Holidays get added and taken away all the time. We’re rich in random and temporary traditions that trump any substantial truth or long lasting and relevant care for the sake of celebrating an excuse to drink, paid time off or time and a half. So tomorrow is Juneteenth!
If you don’t know about it, then inform yourself and look it up.
It’s Black people’s Independence Day and every year most Urban communities celebrate it with events, festivals and parades. But it’s also a part of American History.
So I think it shouldn’t be cordoned off to only black Americans, but ALL Americans
because this way, the day that ALL slaves got the memo that they were free, (I said it that way because slaves had already been freed but places like Texas kept that revelation hidden for an additional year or two). And if we’re all one, and independence day and cinco de mayo is equally important, then so should Juneteenth.
I understand there are so many radical changes in process, but this isn’t radical, this is long overdue. So ask a black friend, search out your social media pages, drive by your near urban communities, or search google earth and head to the big black blotches to see what the celebration is about. Sadly not all black people know about this day, because again, our whole American history isn’t told at length in our schools. But once you know, you can’t un-know
so if you have no black friends, then celebrate my ancestor’s freedom* independence* and citizenship* with me (all three of those have an asterisk because well uhh…you know).
I’m sure we can all* be on common ground and belief that the abolishment of slavery was an American achievement to be given its proper spotlight.
HAPPY JUNETEENTH EVERYONE!
loss can’t be found
life found me on the edge where gravity had tried to push me
the fingers of hope grasping the wings of the wind that hooked me
I’m seeking now, but at first I was merely looking
hoping I wouldn’t see how my own instability shook me
these days cant get no shorter, battles with my own complex
took everything for what it is and once was, until pride got involved, then I took it outside of context
battles wit my mirror and window-reflective objects with no conscience
because one shows me the direction to the world the other shows the direction to myself, broken compass
when you live a lie what’s the point of ever being honest
presently sifting thru past pains because hurt is timeless
Russ please don’t close your eyelids
believing your own bias
I know outside there’s no peace and quiet
and inside there’s riots
caught in a war of opposing dyads
either, ors
up, and downs
black or white
with no middle grounds
and where am I now
somewhere where the lost can’t be found