The black flame was

Ignited by the hatred of snow.

When it burns, it destroys communities.

 

The contumacious fire

Should fade into cold wind

But it catches school textbooks

Long ago discarded in the streets

For promises of lollipops and

A land filled with milk and honey.

That land is burned before the followers

Get there.  Their children waiting

In the womb, feeling

Hands that wonder why

They chose to live.

 

Forty years turns into fifty,

We wander and are

Sucked into quicksand hidden under

The foliage of laws and de facto segregation.

Sweet breath must fade.

 

That sweet breath was choked by black fire

Before those children left the womb.

When it beats upon houses

In showers of bullets,

Duck.

When it beats upon

The mansions of affluent neighborhoods

Smile and say

At least we’re free for a little while.

 

That is until red blood drowns us in our sleep

And black boys are kissed by men who

Are supposed to protect them.

Or until a girl is beaten to death and raped

But the government calls it suicide.

 

My people mourn when a pregnancy

Is announced and rejoice

At funerals.

How are we different from Haiti?

Take away the little wealth we possess and

My people are beaten down and in poverty too.

 

Black fire was

Ignited by white snow

But now

It fights itself.

Raging wildly.

 

Winter wind

Fingers brown cheeks,

Brings tears to eyes,

Reddens noses,

Crawls up sleeves,

Freezes hearts.

 

My parents had to walk against

The Michigan blizzards to

Be considered half as smart

For twice the work.

We are the strongest of the slaves.

We survived the Middle Passage and

Years and years of backbreaking work.

But, we will never have the privileges of

Snow.

To creep into stores without someone following,

To ride to school in Mustangs.

 

Because black fire incinerates opportunities, or

Because they are cold to the touch.

 

Limbo, horrendous,

All big lips, big nose, dark skin.

When she looks beautiful the cold strokes her cheeks

And despite all of her suffering

She kisses that pale white, invisible finger

Because she has loathed it and longed for it.

 

The black flame was

Ignited by the hatred of snow,

And snow is more criminal

Than flame ever was.

 

Friendship, kinship is no option,

Though it is clear that colored and white are

Descendants of the same people.

I am a pacifist, I have friends of all ethnicities, and

Hopefully, more people will be colorblind,

Not react on preconceived notions,

And see non-whites for the people they are.

 

Because it takes everyone to find a solution for all,

Only then will the world get the advancement it yearns for.