Although you may be facing them,
they will treat you
as if your back is turned and running
with a weapon they did not,
cannot see
Still, you are the threat
Etiquette is not part of your garb
No degree chooses to cover you
Neither does your Grandmama’s grace
shields the strange fruit that walks
among the forever tanned ones
Who will thank you for your bravery?
Who will see all of your resilience
once the crimson stains the pavement
that holds the glee of hopscotch and
double-dutch games played with
childish challenges?
Photographs and videos serve none
due to the right always being right
and the left being left out
Are there really such things as Lucky Stars
when people only seem to pray and
make wishes as they’re
falling from the sky?
Who then, can You count on
when You’re already seen as fallen?
Though others may hurt their own,
You have an expiration date
to be taken seriously
Dare say life will be served
on your own terms
The pavement has all the time
it needs to make your acquaintance
Bleak is its name