I’m feeling all the feels right now and coping as best I can. That means lots of reading and writing. If you don’t want to see any more of this, well then, look away. For everyone else, I hope you get something out of this. Thank you to everyone who’s been so supportive.
Just Another One
Sun shining bright, but you don’t see me.
You skirt around me and turn your head.
It’s too easy to pretend I’m blank space instead.
Blue skies and rays of sun, but you don’t see me.
You stare at my hands, waiting and watching.
Faceless brown hands about to do something?
Puffy white clouds and a breeze, but you don’t see me.
Walking, jogging, riding- exercise, that’s good.
You’re scared of brown shadows in your neighborhood.
Pitch black of night, with lights blinking bright.
You see the brown shadow on the ground.
You look away and make no sound.
Sun shining on a new day, but you never saw me.
You watched me disappear and never said my name.
You never looked me in the eyes. Now you are to blame.
I didn’t matter to you and now I’m gone.
Just a brown shadow.
Just another one.
Just Another One – 2020 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter
6 replies on “Just another #blacklivesmatter #poem”
This is a heartbreaking poem Toi, and beautifully written. Honestly, it made me cry. I’m glad you have writing as an outlet. It might not feel like it, but your writing makes a difference, even though it’s just once voice among many. I, for one, shared your poem and I’m sure others will. While others might choose to look away or decide they’re tired of seeing the “negativity,” as long as Black people are being murdered and treated unjustly, we have to keep speaking out every single day. Anyone who looks away is part of the systemic racism that is the root of the problem to begin with. #BlackLivesMatter
Thank you so much. You’ve always been a good friend to me and just as much a part of the struggle as any person of color. When non-POCs began to see that this isn’t just something POC have to deal with but something that all people have to deal with and address, things will start to change. Right now, and moving forward, my focus is black lives but I’m here to stand up for all lives. I need people to stop looking away.
Enjoyed your poem Tori and could relate to it.. Being a foster child and bounced around from one home after another I can feel your pain. I wrote a book entitled:”The Stovepipe” about my life in foster care hoping that it might help other little children from falling the cracks of the foster care system.
Enjoy your day!
Bonnie E. Virag
Thank you, Bonnie, for sharing your story and for your kind words.
Beautifully penned Toi and so heartbreakingly true.
Thank you.