Different Times

There were times not long ago when people you would meet

Did not care where you came from, what city, town or street

Now the times have changed and a lone black fist in the air

No longer means strength, power, and unity. Does not anyone even care?

When an innocent child gets its cartoon show suddenly interrupted

A stray .45 slug enters its head; no one seems to be disgusted

When an elderly woman sits alone and withers away from hunger

The children she worked three jobs to care for are too busy or don’t care any longer

If all the patriarchs of black history were alive today to see the mess we have made

All of them would wonder why they fought, struggled, all of the sacrifices they gave

For the lowest of the black person in this nation to achieve his or her dreams

And pass along the wisdom and blessings to create a strong black society