A young boy and the empathy of a dog

Sets fire to the world with knowledge to clog

His pours and brain and collapses to sleep.

Wakes up in the morning, needs info to breathe.

The way he acts is based on the love he craves

For the world and obsession with how we behave.

 

It is in fact, in the way we behave

That causes some to stay and others to stray.

Education is his dream, but heavy eyes fall from lack of meals.

Mentally drained, empty cupboards don’t first aid or heal.

Stamps on his letters and on his money only give him what he needs  

But his parents working triples is still not enough to feed

 

His hunger for a better world, tomorrow, and dinner; enough food to feed

The world can’t focus on love if they are never free

From the growling because they don’t make enough

They are told they deserve what they have and that they have it rough

Because they flunked or didn’t have the chance to succeed

In a system that failed them and didn’t give what they need

 

To live a life like an executive in a big white house they don’t need

When one room is the size of their apartment in Queens.

So he sits on his bed and reads a biography from the library

On Malcolm X, his hero, but being a hero is scary.

You have to be loud, and he SCREAMS in his head,

But to roar like a lion may bring you some red

 

Because blue is the color that is opposite to red

And some people won’t like the great things that you said,

But it’s courage, and valiance, and drive that you pound

Through your head, from your heart, to the beat causes sound

Like a snare on a bear, or a rabbit, or elk!

Rip up the cards and forget what you’re dealt!

 

Life isn’t fair when they skew what you’re dealt.

This is the reason why everyone knelt

To a flag and a song that praises a nation

Founded on slaves and hate and discrimination.

The world’s not fair, but it can be if you

Pick up your head, your voice, and start something new.

 

Change how they behave, and change what we are dealt.

Feed what we need, and give us good health.

Patch up our red, and let us be felt