I Am Forever Standing Tall

You tell me to pick up my pants,

Fix the way I walk,

Watch the words I say because it’s the ignorant way to talk.

But excuse my ignorance, as how am I the one to blame?

For those discriminative, stereotypical claims.

But those used to be the words I would never say,

And this used to be the type of way,

In which I would never behave,

And the reasoning behind the fact that I call my bros a Negros,

Is that the current system continues to treat me like a slave.

But why does society have to focus plainly on me,

When I’m just one leaf on a dying tree,

Which is this collapsing democracy of a country,

Known as the United States of America which we the people claim to be.

See this system is failing and so is the economy,

But why haven't none of these so called politicians change the policy,

The same policy that states America is home of brave,

Land of the free, for everyone and anybody,

Because the policy neglected the issues on slavery,

How can our founding fathers preach no taxation without representation?

For the reasoning behind the declaration of independence they wrote.  

Yet it wasn't until the 1960s when a black man finally was allowed to vote,

Without being forced to give congress their money.

So I agree, slavery may be over, but my people are still not free,

As they are stuck, unable to get out of the poverty.

So in reality, this so called American policy is just the country's hypocrisy,

So I shall raise one hand with a ball of fist to symbolize my black power.

A power that is the backbone of a culture deprived for so long,

Society’s appointed scapegoat at fault for all of society’s wrongs,

So I raise two hands to illustrate the my people’s almighty power,

But with both hands in the air, society forces my fists open to surrender all black power,

So I stand here holding this position in what could be my final hour,

And I stand here in this position pleading to Society for my innocence,

In a showdown that could up costing my life.  

But Society stands reluctant to believe anything I say because its mind is clouded by ignorance,

Ignorance that grew from the stereotypical claims,

Which made based off of so very few black names,

But now society thinks that all black people act the same,

So I stand here begging Society not to shoot,

Though Society acts as if it is a game,

A game that I will soon lose,

As Society’s finger slipping the trigger,

BOOM! THUD! And down goes my body without any care,

Laying on the ground stolen of life, striped from air.

With this making the late news,

Society views, it, another black negro dead,

With only a single bullet to the head,

And with my mom sitting on my bed,

Knowing that her only son is now lying dead,

Tearing her soul apart to shreds,

As she cannot bear to see the headlines,

And in her mind,

She knows the story that Society is telling is a lie,

She knows that her son was innocent of any crime,

She knows that she never had the opportunity to say goodbye, and so she cries.

The teardrops of despair, anguish, and desolation begin to shower down from her eyes,

She begins to realize,

That though her son had a hard fall,

His soul will forever stand tall,

So stand I will,

Standing here,

With my fist still raised in the air,

Signifying that I will forever hold my black power,

And with this power of mine,

So I write these lines,

To become the liberator I was meant to be,

And using these lines, I shall set free,

Those colored innocent souls who've died in the hands of the law,

With these words I speak,

My colored brothers and sisters and I will forever stand tall.

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My community
My country
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

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