REVOLUTION

Guide that inspired this poem: 

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soniabadji

You say you want a revolution
 
It all started with Dr. King’s speech right? He said that the color of your skin doesn’t define the 
 
content of your character. I mean I think we should listen to the guy who went to college at just 15. 
 
His education from Morehouse gave him the power to give speeches that would be broadcasted in 
 
everyone’s house. We categorize ourselves by color and associate ourselves with a thing called race and 
 
it create so much tension as if were are actually competing in this so called race. 
 
Don’t you know that you can count me out
 
A beautiful baby girl is born. That’s what everyone thinks because the donors of sperm and ovary 
 
are supposed to come from the same world so we can maintain purity. People realize the impurity 
 
and devalue all of her beauty. Small mutters of the word “mutt” are heard while walking through the 
 
park, we see a part of people that is just scary and dark. You see that baby isn’t a baby anymore, she 
 
is standing right in front of you and the colors of my childhood became few when the color of my skin 
 
made it hard to know what to do. You see, mommy when you asked to go the store I was too scared. 
 
I mean when I go with you people look at me funny. I mean I would go with daddy. I’m trapped in a 
 
society that believes the color of my skin made me who I am but when two colors mixed together, I 
 
don’t have much I can do. 
 
Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright 
 
I was hitting an identity crisis. For some of my classmates, they were deliberating “do I die my hair pink 
 
or maybe I should go with a nose ring”. You see, I just couldn’t think so simply. As I listen to my teacher 
 
I once thought would be so boring, he taught me something. Race is a social construct. I realized that 
 
day that just as easily as society has built these walls, they can be taken down. I decided I could care less 
 
when scolded for “talking white” or being teased that since I’m black I didn’t get the answer right. 
 
Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright
 
When Obama said we could he meant America as a whole would change for the better. The chant 
 
“YES WE CAN!” gave us hope that great things we’re planned. But you know, he wasn’t the only one 
 
who wanted change. Everyone put in chains wanted to see better days but honestly I don’t see much 
 
improvement since being forced to pick cotton then being killed because the cop thought you going 
 
to pull out a shot gun. Another thing, Obama isn’t black he’s a mixed baby like me but it really doesn’t 
 
make a difference because C-O-L-O-R has nothing to do with becoming the P-O-T-U-S. 
 
You tell me it's the institution
 
It’s been a long time coming. A change is supposed to come. But can I ask you this Mr. Sam Cooke? How 
 
can we trust a government that is supposed to live by the book to create social reform, I mean they say 
 
they’re not so bad because they’ve used a book to be sworn in but if you don’t devote yourself to that 
 
book, you’ll live in sin. And honestly this hypocrisy is driving me mad! All of these issues are just dumber 
 
than dumb. I mean, how will we ever get anything done? When will I be able to walk down the street 
 
peacefully and comfortably no matter what color the people on that block may be. When will I be able 
 
to blend in because of who I am and what I do, not the color of my skin. 
 
I said I want a revolution.