You wake up in the morning, terrified to leave your home

‘cause you know someone will shoot you if you’re out on your own.

You contemplate wearing that black hoodie in your closet,

‘cause you don’t what could happen if somebody saw it.

You step out into the sidewalk, going out for a stroll,

And notice a cop staring at you during patrol.

Did I do something wrong? You look left and right,

Your heart’s beating fast, there’s not a person in sight.

Then you think I didn’t do anything, but you’re still scared

Because of how long that officer just stood and stared.

You keep walking. You turn at the corner of the street

And feel a little relief when you pick up your feet.

It’s okay. Nothing happened. The fear slowly drains,

The fear of doing nothing, but being up locked up in chains.

You keep walking. You notice a white woman in her car,

And you hear the click of her lock, her car not too far.

You smirk, and then you frown, feeling down ‘cause no one’s around

But you’re upset at the sound of the car being locked, why?

You weren’t planning on doing anything bad,

So her judgment based on your looks makes you sad.

Why? You ask yourself yet again, and then you see your reflection.

That’s why. That tone of your skin, your complexion,

That’s why. That extra bit of melanin set in.

That’s why.

You keep walking. Suddenly your head’s full of memories.

And you remember how your neighbor got shot

By a cop just for walking down the block.

And you remember how that white boy hit a kid and ran,

And the people around him did nothing but stand.

And you remember how your uncle went to jail

Sentenced to twenty years with no help to bail.

And all he did was steal a clock at a yard sale.

And you remember how that white boy who smoked blunts

Raped a girl and was only in jail for a couple months.
And you remember how your friend was a suspect

When a nearby grocery robbery was a subject.

And you ask yourself why?

 

Now imagine. Just imagine it.

Imagine if all that was happening.

 

Listen, listen you all, if color is something you lack,

That’s what it’s like to live your life when you’re Black.

 

Black Lives Matter.