My History Bleeds
by k/d/morris
I left u messages
on the bud of
a lotus tree…
tiny scriptures –
Sanctified in my need
to reclaim my faith in my people
– in their words and efforts
to embrace ourselves…
reclaim our history…
our history that bleeds
because we were black lynchings –
sixties civil rights
black fists clenching –
clinging to hope and revolution…
and change…
our history bleeds for
the brother approaching
us for change –
we change directions
when we see him coming –
but, can’t see the pain and hunger
in his eyes when we
have the power to make a change –
and when it’s time
to take a chance to become
one, we run…
we run from our history
that bleeds modern day homicides –
outside our window
– as the pavement
becomes an outline of tomorrows
headlines for our children…
our history bleeds ships
full of sun-kissed
charcoal skinned ancestors
who would accept death
as an option to slavery –
now, I take morphine for the headaches
the ignorant gave me when they said:
“Reading is not one of my favorite pass-times…”
which unfortunately rhymes
with:
“…seeing you for the last time…”
I am not saying this to you –
but for you…
to pass this message along –
the message that
I left for you
on the bud of
a lotus tree…
the tiny scriptures –
Sanctified in my need
to reclaim my faith in my people
– in their words and efforts
to embrace ourselves…
reclaim our history…
because it is people
and our history that bleeds.
My History Bleeds ©2006, 2009, 2012
From the CD: “Voices Inside Your Head”
k/d/morris – PHYREnEYCE