6100
So, How far is it?
The Distance Between Botswana and Mississippi-
13,468 Kilometers
Lower Carboniferous
Mixed with the Differences of The Gumboot in Wellington Shoes And Delta’s Blues Blaring from Our Speakers
Where Teacher’s Taught Us the Colonizers Agenda
Consensus to Referendum
Even Before We were Allowed to Read
Only to Breathe in the Chrissake
Of the Skin I Was Sentenced to Ever Be
Ancestors Mention Me in the Whispers
Empath's Brag They Hear Regularly
Measure the Depth of that Which Exceeds Rulers
Leo Frank, Lynched in Leland,
Left Lingering Against Trees Like Latitude
Judged By the Owners of Oxford’s Latifundia
Appraised By the Right Who Recites the Feudal
Rebellion Becomes Ritual
Black is Still Beautiful
As Usual, Solely to the Beholder’s Around My Way
Corner Boys Armed with Baking Soda Chores
Caressing the Addict's Wounds In the Same Places They Used to Play
Aunties Fixing Their Niece’s Crowns Everyday
I Would Say, Measure Us By This:
We are Continuously Developing and Creating Culture
The Fact that We Understand Our Community Better Than Those Who Cannot Comprehend Our Struggle
The American Negro-
“Two souls, Two Thoughts, Two Unreconciled Strivings;
Two Warring Ideals in One Dark Body,
Whose Strength Alone Keeps it from Being Torn Asunder.â€
This is the ‘Soul of Black Folk’
Weighed Under Treachery
Yet, Above Reproach
Ever Beyond Measure
