Minneapolis

Oh, my dear Minneapolis.

Your streets ring out the sound of lives taken down.

Bloodshed, laid to rest, justice nowhere to be found.

Bound by pieces of your history, corruption, and bigotry, racist covenants meant to keep the “riff raft out”.

Dating back an entire century, stripping away the American dream for those who look like me.

Your soil-echoing cries of airways narrowing,

life drifting out of black bodies on the ground as the sound of them calling out for their mothers fades out.

A horrid memory, horror movie stuck on repeat.

Bodies lying in the streets.

Another one down.

An accident, self-defense, it wasn’t my intent.

Looked like he had a gun, a weapon, trust me he wasn’t innocent.

Little kids bearing their resemblance looking on in terror wondering, “one day will that be me?”

Mothers breathing heavily, weeping endlessly, my son, my boy, my baby.

Maybe you’d still be here had your tabs not expired, or your skin was a little lighter, body not as “threatening”.

Black skin labeled dangerous, they endanger us with no repercussions.

What then shall we say, “Black Lives Matter” yet never mattered anyway.

We beg for change yet are met with rage because what is such a life worth when seen through eyes of hate and contempt?

Discrimination, not exempt, better us than them, no remorse for the souls gone too soon.

Charges dropped, cops free to roam and shoot.

Accountability, scarcely acquired.

The world looks on, desensitized.

How many black brothers have to die before we refuse to shut our eyes, and refuse to accept the lies regarding their perception of the worth of black lives?

Dehumanized.

We bury our brethren, bury our feelings deep within, in a world that doesn’t care whether or not we are alive or breathing.

Extinguished.

Consumed with anguish, no safety in these twin cities.

Just passing looks of pity from performative “allies”.

Nowhere to hide, we are not safe here.

They don’t like our race here.

Filled with fear.

Heart pounding with each siren - flashing lights.

We cannot run or hide.

We are not safe here.

Oh, Minneapolis, hear our cries.

Your children, brethren, destined for demise.

Minneapolis, we are not safe here, remove the veil from your eyes.

No longer just passing by, another black man in the streets.

A life taken, corpse vacant, could have been you or me.

When will justice reign and become more than just an elusive dream.

Minneapolis, we are not safe here, there's not enough space here in this big city for someone like me.