When I was 11, I turned 13 because I don't  fuck with the 12, White men in Uniforms can beat one black man, who's been taught to never trust the 12. It would take less than 9 seconds for 1 uniform to use 1 bullet to end their life.   

A life I could have made.

A life meant to continue a legacy

A life so similar to my brothers struggling through the system.

Served but never protected

Never Protected, a 12 year old should never have to be taught to be cautious of a uniform, to steer clear of flashing lights, to stay away from innocent fights in the schoolyard.

A 12 year old should feel protected.

Black boys have always been served a healthy plate of suspicion, no one ever stops to question the credibility of their accusers, and black woman stand by helpless, like tree frogs absorbing it all through our skin. Constantly watching our sons be thrown into cages, our sons snuffed out like roaches, and trapped like rats, fear  snapped over their necks so tight there is no blood getting to the brain, so they can't see.

I stand by like a tree frog absorbing it all through my skin. Skin once vulnerable and soft, now hardened by distrust for the world around me.

Someday the media will cease to write horrible graffiti on this skin, until then I blot it out with lipsticks, eyeliners, and hair extensions.

Someday the World will cease to write horrible graffiti on his skin until then he blots it out with fads and violence.

Someday WE will cease to spray filthy graffiti on our skin until then we blot it out with laughter and hope that we will no longer have to watch our sons be thrown to the ground and stomped out like roaches. We will no longer have to pick up the pieces of our babies and bury them too soon.

We will no longer have to watch lives take themselves out of the game.

No longer watch legacies, that could have been mine, be pushed aside.

No longer watch my brothers struggle through and unfair system.

One day be protected, and not served with suspicion.

No longer have my skin hardened with distrust.

And I wont sit by with tree frog Ambitions, longing for a better environment.