Black People in America

Imagine walking out your door

each day

to face a world

where you’re looked down upon

considered dangerous

untrustworthy

and criminal

all because

the color of your skin.

–

do this every waking day

enduring the ignorance

of hundreds of years

and across generations.

–

Oppressed upon arrival

suppressed at the voting booth

made to sit at the back of the bus

segregated

lynched

so that people

with lighter skin

can feel safe

and superior.

–

Black Americans

are the nicest

kindest

most compassionate

forgiving

resilient

faithful

generous

and patient

people in the country.

–

Because if I were born black

and lived in America

I’d be in a constant

state

of rage.

–

***

This is the twenty-sixth poem of my personal 30-day poetry challenge to break away from the machine to think about things that don’t matter. I have no idea what I’m doing. – Jim

Black People in America

Imagine walking out your door

each day

to face a world

where you’re looked down upon

considered dangerous

untrustworthy

and criminal

all because

the color of your skin.

–

Black people in America

do this every waking day

enduring the ignorance

of hundreds of years

and across generations.

–

Oppressed upon arrival

suppressed at the voting booth

made to sit at the back of the bus

segregated

lynched

so that people

with lighter skin

can feel safe

and superior.

–

Black Americans

are the nicest

kindest

most compassionate

forgiving

resilient

faithful

generous

and patient

people in the country.

–

Because if I were born black

and lived in America

I’d be in a constant

state

of rage.

–

Jim Mitchem

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My novel – Minor King

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