My First Spoken Word Style Piece (2017, edited 2021)

I’d like to share a dream i had

In this dream I seen many things

healthy trees green leaves a beautiful sunset with a cool breeze that helped set the scene

but what stood out most was the fact that I seen...me

I remember thinking if there’s anything you could ask yourself...what would it be?

So I asked..

what if color wasn't a thing?

The sun immediately turned greyscale

My response; don’t worry the ‘stereotypical’ adversities i faced would probably remain still..

You See...

...If color wasn't a thing..

I'd prolly still have bad credit

since an irresponsible youngin once that card reached its limit I said forget it

If it stopped putting food in my belly or a roof over my children I put it on the lowest level of priority in existence

If color wasn't a thing..

I'd still show up to work behind ten or fifteen minutes

If I’m running in place without direction then i need to contemplate life decisions

One of which is dedicating hour after hour for 12 dollars and fifty cents

I mean is it worth 52 weeks of great reviews for another .26?

Think about it: I make $26,000 today..a .26 raise is roughly $10 a week..540 a year... it'd take 26 years of raises just to reach 40k

Nah..

If color wasn't a thing ...I'd still wake up in the morning

take my time getting dressed and kiss my family slowly

If color wasn't a thing..

I prolly still would have pushed that bag

Understand At 19 a social life is the only thing I didn't have

A brand new car 160 in the dash

300 on payroll, I trapped the ave and still made it to class

With a handful of coworkers that liked to talk to the stars fluently

So me being me I seen the opportunity...

..If color wasn't a thing..that cop still would have stopped me

He would have had another reason to turn that car around on me

If color wasn't a thing..

Maybe??

white life expectancy in America wouldnt be 79 and black 75..and just maybe?? at 77 we'd draw a colorless line.

So you see, if color wasn't a thing I wouldn't see it any different...

Then I woke up.

Took a look in the mirror. And said ..

maybe you need to ask the right questions to get an answer more clear.

If color wasn't a thing..would it still be So natural for the first response to be "many have died for the flag just for you to have the right to say. You need to appreciate that?."

NO

that's just like second grade when u didn't wanna be it, but you wanted to play tag,

so, when someone said "tag, you're it!" You sit back lied and said "I tagged u back"

No give me your logic and rationale

explain that ignorance and vengeance is not in fashion now

convince me justice is blind and America isnt rocking that blue dress to death

Tell me Ferguson was an accident Freddie Gray wasn't disrespect or neglect

Ensure me the community is in fact what they serve and protect

Elaborate how that flag isn't a sign of pure hate

When the devil himself patched it to his jacket as he took 9 lives while they prayed

How was the next morning not a slap in the face?!

When you took that killer to Burger King after you asked had he ate?

Break it down how Jason Kenny wasn’t the epitome of white privilege

At the time One of very few officers that didn't get acquitted for an unarmed black killing

convicted for repeatedly tasing a restricted civilian to his ending, got 3 and a half months worth of weekends to serve a 1 month sentence?

Damn..

But, Hold that notion for a moment..cuz in this reality, color is a thing and if it wasn't this poem wouldn't be one either

And at 92 years old, Dr Martin Luther King Jr might still be breathing.