28 DAYS

28 DAYS

I need a year to be black

linguistics of typecasting
get it just right
pigeonholed in a bucket
cagy stereotypes

I need a year to be black

deprived of a home
in a white neighborhood
shunned
in a racist white club
apply for a job
whites only
test equal work equal pay laws

shoved in the corners
of fine restaurants
rejected avoided eschewed
passed over
imprisoned and cheated
profiled in keen airports and schools

need a year to secure
high blood pressure
sickle cell
diabetes and aids
to be told that my brain
is smaller than most
wash dishes
clean toilets

refrain

need a year to honor
the ace of spades
stand on corners
push drugs pot and pills
get welfare and food stamps
be single and poor
join a gang
learn to
pilfer and steal

to
exhaust all my savings
estrange my white friends
donate all my finery
and jewels
void my accomplishments
distance achievements
in short
to make me
more like you

give me a year
to practice the lies
to make all your falsehoods
come true
to drop out of school
quit a well paying job
sell my home in the burbs
next to yours

28 days just won’t do it
need a year to turn back the tide
or you
can enlighten
yourself and your friends
on the truths of Black History
Black Pride.