This is not America (Pay Attention)

“When I get older I will be stronger, they’ll call me freedom just like waving flag.”

 

Langston Hughes had the blues when he said

“Let American be America again”

But how could we let it be again

If America has yet began

Martin Luther King made a speech

That was supposed to speak to the minds

Of the weak who wouldn’t allow

Equality to peek in the free

Land of which we seek

Malcolm X didn’t believe in turning around

And walking away with

Peaceful commentary No! He believe in

Declaring our rights

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

This is what we were taught in school

Of how America came to be, through violence

And corruption and police brutality

Yet our ancestors were steady praying

For equality

This is supposed to be my home

Where I feel safe and protected but

How could that be when the color of my skin

Always gets me suspected of participating

In a violent act that gets me rejected

In getting a higher education or job opportunity

That I personally selected

That’s because the law system is nothing

But a rule book for survival of the fittest

So when a regular citizen gets

Put down and shot down by a man with a badge

He gets surprisingly acquitted

This is no shock to modern day society

Because it’s part of history

And why history repeats itself

Seems to be a mystery

First there’s a story of young Emmett Till

Who was accused of doing wrong

They say he whistled a song to a

White woman walking by so they

Beat him till he died

And his momma cried

There was little evidence to throw

The pale skin men in jail

That was the first sign the justice system failed

Rodney King was stopped in the street

Because the police thought he had a drink

Dragged him out his car and beat him til he bled

Beat him near death and in the court

Not guilty was pled

Fruitvale Station on New Year’s Day

The loudest gunshot couldn’t help

But be heard, Officer Johannes Mehserle

Was given 2 years but only did 11 months

After fatally shooting Oscar Julius Grant the III

Trayvon Martin was walking with

Skittles and Arizona and  in his mind it’d be delicious

But George Zimmerman shot the 17-year-old

Down because he looked suspicious

Because Florida has a stand your ground law

Zimmerman got off and no one seemed

To feel for the child who’s

Life was wrongfully lost

It’s Illegal for the police to put

A citizen in a chokehold and put

Their job at ease but since

Eric Garner’s death everybody’s

Protesting the streets saying

“I CAN’T BREATH!”

And when I put my hands up

I’m signaling “don’t shoot” but while

Darren Wilson is still living his life

Mike Brown is in a casket wearing his best suit

Majority of suspects are always Minority

And making sure my generation doesn’t make it

Is Authorities number one priority

But does everybody pay attention NO!

Not if they’re not under watch or suspicion

But nobody’s going to help you when

You’re in your casket alone or in Juvenile Detention

It’s bad enough that we don’t even

Feel protected by men with a badge and gun

There were unnecessary wars and battles

For equality and freedom but nothing

Was really won

There’s genocide for African American

Males and they don’t even know it

But the fear circles their mind but

They’re not man enough to show it

But let me explain what’s got

Many generations brainwashed and

Manipulated; the mass media

And B.S. filled lies that are steady

Being generated

We’re so focused on the hottest

Mixtapes and unreleased tracks that

We wouldn’t even notice if the government

Is really feeding us free crack

We’re told to buy the shoes that celebrity’s

Endorse on T.V and Billboards

Same shoe with a different name

So what are we spending money for

When they tell us to pay attention and get an education

We turn stone cold and bitter

We don’t care about new unless it’s

A trending topic on twitter

Some of us got the worst behavior

But when we want special treatment we’re so quick

To demand it but when a fight breaks out

In the hallway we don’t stop it

We Instagram it

Individually fellas only want to know

Who’s gone throw it back on they latex

But they favorite line is “It ain’t mine”

Once she sends you that “Late text”

And girls only want to know each other’s

Business and always want to gossip

But when the tables get turned on you

That’s when you want to stop it

We don’t even notice why Authority

Believes they’re so slick

We’re so pleased and satisfied

With their false promises because

Their sarcasms come quick

With all the distractions

And million dollar attractions

We all go mentally broke and

Wonder what happen

This is not how America is

Supposed to be, driving us away

From the problem in equality

So where are our equal rights if

We all won the fight

We shouldn’t always have to step

In the ring and play death with trick dice

But please pay attention the system

Has always had us cheated but we

Are all too strong to raise

A white flag and say we’ve

Been defeated

The color of our skin and

Power to our words should

Blind America with a new sight

Being treated equal isn’t an option,

It’s a god given right.

Every time we pick up a gun

We shoot at our reflection and

We wonder why our people

Are steady being neglected

And if we stopped doing what’s expected

We wouldn’t look like a stereotype

And education and motivation would stop being our

Kryptonite

To what I’ve said and opened to you

You had to have learned something

I think it’s time we stop giving America so much

Sense America gives us much of

Nothing

 

 

 

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741