“I was once a young Black boy”

An excerpt poetic monologue from BOYS LIKE US

“I was once a young Black boy”

HAYWOOD I was just a young black boy A black boy born from a black mother Nurture from the womb Protect me from the tomb Stoned by the white power that wants me dead They want to have my head The coffin is my new bed

ANTRON I don’t want to be there.

LEROY I don’t want to die I keep asking myself why

CLARENCE Why? Why God? Why me? A young Black boy like me

CHARLIE Under appreciated and Undeserving

OLEN How long must they serve me? I have families who need me They take care of me

CHARLIE I was just a young black boy Starting to get ahead doing everything I can For my family and my friends

KOREY I was once a young Black boy. Curious and mysterious About the way the world thinks of me. Things escalated so quickly Will they ever believe me?

YUSEF How could this be? Oh, woe is me I cry these tears in my eyes They don’t realize I am just a young Black boy walking in a dangerous path

KEVIN Why don't they believe me? It hurts me to see Young boys like me

LEROY They say our lives are easy Once you’re a different color It’s whole another hysteria Racism spreading like malaria Sucking the blood out of me Spreading it like wildfire Leaving the disease makes me ill and feel weak to my bones

ANTRON Would they dare let us speak?

HAYWOOD Let him speak!

EUGENE No, don't let him speak

ANTRON I am a young black boy

RAYMOND A boy with a voice A boy who wants to make a choice

ANTRON Yeah, But what choice do we have?

RAYMOND I am a brown boy.

HAYWOOD & ANTRON I am a black boy.

ALL BOYS All we have is life and death

KOREY Life is easy but death is hard when you’re a young black boy

HAYWOOD I was once a young black boy. Fighting for my life. Fighting for my freedom. Fighting for my family. My brothers and sisters. Fighting for me. To be the best damn man I could be.

SCOTTSBORO BOYS I was once a young black boy.

CENTRAL PARK FIVE I was once a young black boy.

(A voice of Keedron Bryant singing an acapella “I Just Want to Live” while the song is playing all the boys lay down and fall asleep in their cells. The song ends. FADES TO BLACKOUT. A dreamy harp music play. Lights up at All Central Park Five Boys are sleeping on the ground. KOREY wakes up. He looks around and sees the dark gloomy unfamiliar area.)

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Boys Like Us