black people are born singers
black people are born runners
black people are peace-loving
these myths make of us naïvete
we have been sipped with bubbles of champagne
we have known choking dust
and have writhed with the pain of humiliation
singers
runners
peace-loving
nobody really sees the storm raging within us
nobody cares to know that we’ve reached our own bottom
laughing has become agonizing
singers
runners
peace-loving
my foot
I fear we will all sing at night-vigils
and as I see things we will all run for cover
what I don’t know is which peace will still be lovable