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Ode to Justice

January 16, 20183 min read

These are the kind of poems you write when you have had enough of the hate and turmoil taking control of the world. These are the feelings you feel when you consistently see problematic things going on around you. I am glad to have a platform where I can use my voice to call out those who choose to add to the problems already happening instead of waking up and recognizing their wrongdoings. Lastly, this goes out to everyone who is doing their part to address our issues and fight for justice where it is due.

 

When I think of Independence Day

I say, “what the hell does that have to do with me?”

It has nothing to do with me because for years

I was once a slave, being whipped and tormented

and told that I was not human enough to be on the level

of the lighter brighter people who make it their to hover

over me

 

When I think of of the National Anthem

I say, “what the hell does that have to do with me?”

it has nothing to do with me because the red, white and blue

that they sing to doesn’t represent anyone else but themselves

 

They criticize those men for kneeling on one knee

instead of living out their fantasy of placing one hand

upon their heart and pretending like this system ain’t

burning this country down in flames

 

They criticize those men while they allow some of their own

to parade around in their sinister hoods and white robes

while they celebrate their enmities

 

They criticize the men, women, and children

who fill the streets, chanting, on top of their lungs

raising their cardboard signs in the air without giving a care

 

Now, I am not lumping them all because not all of them

are blind to the injustice in this country

not all of them choose to live in the smoke and mirrors

they were forced into

 

I applaud you for listening and not speaking over me

I applaud you for not choosing to contradict your every word

with your every move

 

I applaud you

I applaud you

I applaud you

but we need more of you

we need more to make their voices heard

over the bitterness being expelled in our

already dirty atmosphere

 

I am tired of looking into the streets

and seeing blood streaks

I am tired of the hate

I am tired of the violence

I am tired of the victim blaming, shaming

 

All I want is peace

and a chance in this world

as another human.

 

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Kayla Ford

I am a 19 year old writer who loves piercings and challenging the status quo.

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