To Black Men in Cages!

TO BLACK MEN IN CAGES

WHERE ARE YOU THIS EVENING, MY BROTHER/MYSELF?

AS FIREFLIES CHASE THE SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT AND THE WOODTHRUSH FLOODS OUR TWILIGHT MIST

WITH SUBTLE SYMPHONIES OF SORROW

WHERE ARE YOU THIS EVENING, MY BROTHER/MYSELF

AS I TURN OFF THE LIGHT

LET OUT THE CAT

BRING IN THE DOG

TURN BACK THE SHEETS?

SHOULDN'T YOUR SWEET BLACK HAND

WITH ITS FINE LONG BONES AND MESMERIZING TOUCH

BE HERE UPON MY HIP?

MY EAR AGAINST YOUR CHEST

THE RHYTHM OF YOUR HEART PUMPING NEW LIFE INTO

ME?

WHERE ARE YOU THIS EVENING , MY BROTHER/ MYSELF

AS OUR CHILDREN ROAM THE TERRIBLE STREETS

OF THEIR UNSPOKEN NIGHTMARES?

I BROUGHT THEM UP ON MY WEARY KNEES

' TIL MY KNEES GIVE OUT

AND THE CHILDREN RUN OFF

THEY GOT TOO BIG

THEY COULDN'T SIT THERE NO MO'

SO THEY RUN OFF LOOKIN' FOR SOMETHING ELSE TO DO

LOOKIN' FOR YOU

WHERE ARE YOU THIS EVENING , MY BROTHER/MYSELF?

HAVE THEY RAPED YOUR MIND

AND STOLEN YOUR SOUL

IS THERE NOTHING LEFT OF THE PRIDE

AND THE NOBILITY

AND THE HONOR

THAT WAS OURS

LONG AGO?

WHEN YOUR BODY/MY BODY HUNG FROM

SOUTHERN TREES

AND LADY DAY WROTE SONGS ABOUT

THE STRANGE FRUIT OF THE STRANGE HATRED

THAT PUT US THERE,

WHEN THEY BURNED US AND BEAT US AND

TRIED TO STARVE US OUT,

WHEN THEY MOCKED US AND SCORNED US

LIKE CHRISTIANS IN THE AMPHITHEATRE

FOR THE AMUSEMENT OF THE EMPEROR

WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO TAKE FROM US

BUT OUR LIVES,

STILL, MY BROTHER, MYSELF

WE KEPT OUR DIGNITY.

BUT WHERE ARE YOU, NOW, MY BROTHER/MYSELF

AS THE WHITE LADY COCAINE

EXPLODES IN YOUR VEINS

TAKING MY PLACE

RIDING THE HIGH HORSE

WHERE MY MEMORY SHOULD BE?

WHERE ARE YOU NOW, MY BROTHER/MYSELF

WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN

SOUR

AND YOUR BLOOD STAINS THE ASPHALT

IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

AND I WAIT FOR YOU, HUNGRILY

WAIT I DO

YES I DO

WHEN THE PRISONS ARE FILLED WITH OUR FUTURE

AND THE DOORS ARE LOCKED AGAINST OUR LOVE

WHERE YOU NOW, MY BROTHER/MYSELF?

AND WHEN WILL YOU COME TO ME?

By:Sedrick Washington