A Poem for Today

Today

“What the Mirror Knows” Collection

  by David Desmond

Silent still I remain. 

Power of my words, I refrain. 

Still silent I remain.

I stare, eyes of horror, yet no sound do I make.

This spectre before me, my life to take?

Adorned in linen shroud, hoodie drawn upon his game,

Faceless, no identity, no name.

Somebody yells, "Say his Name!"

"I don't know! I don't know his Name!" Am I to blame?"

His feet, so gray, not black, not white. 

They seem not to touch ground, about to take flight? 

Why are his hands hidden from sight?

Bound at the wrist, pressed into his back, 

No pity, no mercy, distressed yet no slack.

Close my eyes, will he go away?

Turn my cheek, my face... disappear I pray.

Looking at me, to me, no eyes no face.

Lips does he have, speaking words with no trace. 

Fearful I say, leave me, my presence and place.

“What are you saying? I can't understand.”

Suddenly, clarity, "You can't, or you won't?"

The shroud is rent, his bare brown chest shackled in chains.

“What are those chains?” I ask.

“With these was I bound in the land of they who loved me.”

.

You used them to drag me here against my will.

You used them to hold me down and beat me down and beat me up and beat me!

Imprisoned enslaved oppressed.

Yet did I help you prosper.

I tilled, tended, took care of your fields, cared for your child, made you a nation revered.

Strong, beautiful, rich, powerful, plenty.

One day I accepted this grand land as my home too.

Five generations come and gone.

Today,

All you have, I have touched,

Every fruit and vegetable, every meat and milk,

All your clothing, wool, cotton and silk.

You're moving place to place, every car. truck and train,

My hand upon your bus, boat and plane.

Make your water flow, your services go,

Your towns and cities move to and fro.

Handle your mail, your health and well-being,

In your military preserve bravery and freedom.

Yet, of me, your thoughts are suspicious, your actions judicious, your silence pernicious.

From whence shall come my breath?

And he pauses....

No breath, no words.

You can't breathe? Illness? Asthma? Coronavirus?

No, no, no, Persona virus, persona non gratis! Persona persecuted!

Age-old, chokehold, untold, so cold.

My head, my hands, my neck, my chest,

My back, my body restrained and suppressed.

My heart oh, what dies!

The anger, the violence, the eyes that despise,

The hatred, the wounds, my heart oh, what dies!

Today,

I want to jog, walk in the park, drive my car, stand on a sidewalk in front of a bank, walk to a convenience store, sleep in my bed, hold my phone, live my life.

Today,

So much publicity,

Moving like electricity,

Will you go underground with complicity?

Today,

Black and blue surrounded by white.

Protector of life kept out of sight,

Familiar spirit of desire and right,

A Brotherhood of blue, fight mixed with fright.

The fear in your eyes scares me too!

Feel in danger, meet it with anger.

Threats arise, chemical my eyes.

Sense of harm, dogs to my arm.

Hurt you see, baton to my knee.

When I emote, press to my throat.

Attack the blest, taser my chest.

Assault by black, gun to my back.

Blue or white, let me be black.

You struggle to accept, respect, love. Let me be, human, black, different, me.

Catch your breath, let me be!

Release your hold, help me breathe!

Our Moses is coming, someday.

God's people sing, “We shall overcome, someday!”

America, my home, someday.

Arise together, splendid as the sun, someday.

TODAY is My Someday!

Someday, is Your TODAY!