Black in America

Being black in America
Your body isn’t safe
In a school
In a library
On the street
On the bus
In your home
In your grandmas home
At a restaurant
At the movies
In a grocery store
In your car
On a plane
On the sidewalk
At the mall
at a park
In the bank
On a train
Being black In America
Your body isn’t safe
If you’re young
If you’re old
If your underage
If you’re elderly
If you’re a student
If you’re a teacher
If you’re eleven
If you’re one hundred and eleven
Being black in America
You’re body is seen
As a threat
As a target
Too loud
Too soft
Too dark
Too light
Too tall
Too short
Too bulky
Too thin
If you smile
If you don’t smile
If you move
If you don’t move
If your hands are up
If your hands are down
If you run
If you don’t run
If you’re male
If you’re female
to be black in America
Is to hold these truths
And more
In your head
In your mind
In your heart
In your soul
As you go to work
As you go to school
As you try to live
As you try to...
As you try...

-Brittany J. Thurman