Editor’s note: This poem is part of our #SpreadTheWord poem of the week series, featuring work by Chicago artists based on Injustice Watch reporting. This poem was inspired by “In Plain View: Cops Around The Country Are Posting Racist And Violent Comments On Facebook.” For more poetry in this series, click here.
Tamia Brinson
i used to wish that i was white
i wished to scrape the melanin off my skin
Investigations that expose, influence and inform. Emailed directly to you.
the hate the world wielded against my people
forged its way within
those designed to protect us neglect us
they tie the anchors around our feet
our cries for help are silenced
they are the wolves, and we are the sheep
they have no mercy for our screams
in fact, they enjoy the taste of our demise
how blissful it must be to live in ignorance
while our bodies drop like flies
i no longer wish to be white
only to be seen
not defined by my color
just the merit of my being
(is that too much to ask?)
My name is Tamia Brinson and my greatest strength is my resiliency. I may fall, but never do I break.
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