THE LAND OF THE FREE?

Noah Q. Parker

The land of the Free

According to another man’s history

Make America Great Again!

According to who’s definition of the word ‘win’?

I wait in expectation of one day living free

But my white friends don’t get it that ‘hands up!’, ‘spread ‘em’, and ‘you’re under arrest’ is just for me

I’m not giving up that the Promised Land will one day be mine

But I might have to accept from the looks of it we’re running out of time

Trayvon Martin Mike Brown

You should be here with me

Living life and loving the world

From Sea to shining sea

Instead of teenagers you’re martyrs

Gone too soon

Only to birth a ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement

Under an unforgiving moon

I still believe in the vision

Of one America for All

Even though my stark reality can’t pick me up when society falls

I refuse to give up that vision

Though far away it seems

Of an equal America where I can get a fair shot

That won’t always be in my dreams