But I’ll never wake

Up black

With long limbs

And midnight skin

Nope.

Because this hand is

Gripping blonde

And bitted nails.

 

Yeah I’ll never stop

Fearing failing Sudan,

Palestine, and Guatemala

With all my fathers’

Wrongs that they

Chained to those lands

And their peoples

Nope.

Because this hand is

Stained with blood

Spilled by a thousand

Genomes.

 

But I’ll never leave

You, white flesh

With ancient guilt

And disease-ridden evil

Nope.

Because this hand is

Also a hand

With which to hold

And mend and make

What we’ll one day

Call change.

 

Yeah, I’ll never stop

Reparations

For Germany, Britain,

And “America”

Nope.

With all my heart

And its

Beating history

I’ll never stop reaching

Past fear of insult

To do something

Right

Like listen.