A Letter to my Son

From the moment I knew what you were

I was conflicted

I had dreams of holding you in my arms

To know what you already looked like, I predicted

But now that I know my dreams have come true

My reality has hit me in the gut and quite frankly, I don’t know what to do

I feel you in my belly, growing stronger each day

Kicking, twitching, and stretching

I hold my stomach and cry tears of pain

Because I know the struggle that is about to head your way

I fear the day you enter this world, for it is not kind to us

I find myself wanting to protect you from everything thrown your way

Like my superwoman instinct are on high alert

I know that’s not how you’ll grow or how you’ll learn

But I cannot bring myself to come to terms with son that I have no more

Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Jeremy Lett, Lavall Hall, Tony Robinson, Brandon Jones, Darrius Stewart, Christian Taylor, Kimani Gray, Kendrec McDade…just to name a few

That could be you

I’ve come to the realization that you, my son

You are not safe

And although I desperately want to cling to you every waking moment of your life, I can’t

But I can promise you, until the day I stop breathing, I will be your wolf

I will protect you fiercely

I will be the cobra whose venom slowly strangles their enemy for you

I will be whatever you need me to be

Because you are destined to be something

Something fierce that this world so desperately needs

To the likes of Marcus, Malcom, and Huey P

People will not understand and they will try to eradicate you and the mission you seek

But you must not fret nor worry

Because you have me

I hope I make you proud of me

I hope I raise you to be better than me, better than your father

I have no doubt you will be anything less

Besides…why else would we call you

GREATNESS