Three-hundred years they held me chained
One-hundred more and nothing changed
My social status was rearranged
But their hate was still the same
From Malcolm to Martin, we tried
Stepped forward until we realized
More must be done
Before we can rise
They say we’re changing
And changing
And changing
Enough is
Enough, I’m
Sick and frustrated
They’ve been trying to change us too much
We’re still peaceful, and hopeful, and giving away our trust
While I’m homeless, and jobless, and mindless on drugs
It takes more than a touch of time to fully grow up
I think it’s time for us to just simply live black
Let race be erased from negative to positive
Resolve and evolve and turn back from the past
Three-hundred years they held me chained
One-hundred more and nothing changed
My social status was rearranged
But their hate was still the same
From Malcolm to Martin, we tried
Stepped forward until we realized
More must be done
Before we can rise
Well now we reside in the White House
It’s time for racists to face it
And turn the lights out
Here in darkness my remark is
We’re all black
From hatred to sacred, we’re back
And what your eyes can’t see can change your mind
But I won’t let us leave our dark history behind
-AW 6/12/09
Author notes
This is another poetry response, to Gil Scott-Heron's "Evolution (And Flashback)."
This poem really takes you on a journey through history, from the Civil Rights Era to the inauguration of America's first black President.
I put my best into this poem. I hope my fellow poets enjoy it.
A contest entry
- prewrite shebang; by epitome.
400 points, ended October 23, 131 entries
• next poem in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest - 1000 points, 1000 pws by Shadow Anonymised.
1000 points, ended November 23, 1062 entries
• next poem in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest - prewrites contest!!!!!!!!!!!! enter!!!!! by foreveryourslove.
1120 points, ended November 9, 1066 entries
• next poem in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
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Very good poem. Held a lot of emotion in it that carried through the whole poem. When you repeated the stanzas I think it added more to the poem, for a moment it almost made me here it as a song. Thank you for entering my contest and for this positive message.
Keep on writing and I will keep on reading.
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I am so sorry I haven't been by sooner. This is very good with a great deal of emotion. Why people could never open their eyes and really see always just confused me.
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Hard hitting, topical and brutal in its message-I enjoyed this. The repetition has been used excellently to really illuminate the reader to the ongoing struggles faced by people targeted by rascists. I loved the triumph in being in the white house. Very well written!
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
The main idea of this poem is progression through time ("changing and changing...,") and then the realization that even the most hopeless black man in reality isn't being held back by the racial barrier.
Hey, in darkness, we're all black!
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