Mississippi Goddamn

Heavy heart. Not strong enough to carry.

Mind clouded. No words expressive enough to make room.

More emotion than I can explicitly identify.

I’m tired.

Tired of fighting a fight that was the fight of my mother.

I’m tired of fighting a fight that was fought for me.

Troy Davis. Oscar Grant. James Byrd.

I’m tired of fighting the fight fought for my mother.

James Chaney. Emit Till. Cynthia Wesley.

I’m tired of fighting the fight fought for my grandmother.

Thomas Moss. Calvin McDowell. Henry Stewart.

I. Am. Tired.

Why am I fighting this fight my ancestors tried to deplete?

Why am I feeling the fears for my children, my mother once felt for me?

How many more years must go by?

My mother is tired!

My grandmother is dead-

And how many more generations must die in order for justice to be served?

Obviously a few more…