I know I am not safe here.

I know that every time I walk out of my house everything around me is a threat.

Do not tell me that the world is unsafe as if I’m protected from it.

 

I learned to be awake from a young age.

To understand how being black, can cause conflict.

I know that the darker pigment in my skin makes for its own conversation piece.

Do not tell me this world is safe for me unless you want me to question your truthfulness.

 

When the issue of slavery comes up in the classroom, and almost every head turns to you.

That feeling of shame and disgust crawling up your spine,

Where you have to act, Depressed, angry, alone. This feeling has settled in your bones like ash

Numb,

another thing of black.

Like the night, like the unknown,

like the scary,

like the

Monster.

 

Be afraid.

 

We are the dogs that you let loose way back in 1963

We run wild now.

We, tear down, racists, now.

We takin' over worlds, now.

We startin' young. Learning how to fight, now.

So you better be scared.

We fightin' for our rights to live.

In a world unsafe for us.

 

Where we die every few seconds.

Who's next?

So don't you dare tell me that this world is safe for me.

You don't fool me for a second.

I’ve learned, at just the age of 14

I could very well be the next name to flash up on your Twitter hashtag.

Do not tell me that this is irrational.

By now, this is fact.

 

We know the dangers of life by heart.

Yet we laugh.

Yet we play.

Yet we live.

The most disturbing things are often

found hidden in layers of joy.

Do not be fooled.

We are aware.

And we fight this war, strong

Every day.