We locked ourselves up; always have.
In ships, in ghettos, in little boxes.
Small spaces in which we can not breathe
Spaces in which we die.
Divided by faces and beliefs, voices and dances.
My people would not do that.
Oh, but you. But you.
You’re from over there.
I see what you’ve done,
I know what you want:
You want what I have.
My people would not do that.
There is a line.
Someone drew it.
Rattle that fence all you want.
Whack it with that chain.
See who comes.
See who cares.
My people would not do that.
We are always looking skyward
Seeking freedom.
We always want what is better, newer, some thing that is ours.
But reaching is hard when we are always standing in the fetid soil
That we have diseased:
Weighted, loaded, oppressed, shared
Blamed, hated.
All of us.
Distained, ignored, diminished,
Pushed in to corners, inside fences,
Killed with gas and bullets and hate.
My people would not do that.
Wrapped in chains.
All of us.
(Photo by Stephen Hickman, via Upsplash)
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About michaelstephendaigle
I am the author of the award-winning Frank Nagler Mystery series. "The Swamps of Jersey (2014); "A Game Called Dead" (2016) -- a Runner-Up in the 2016 Shelf Unbound Indie Author Contest; "The Weight of Living" (2017) -- “The Weight of Living” was awarded First Place for mysteries in the 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Award contest;
Named A Notable 100 Book, Shelf Unbound 2018 Indie Book Awards;
Named a Distinguished Favorite, 2018 Independent Press Awards.
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2018 Big NYC Book Contest.
Named a Finalist in the 2019 Book Excellence Awards.
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Named a Book Award Winner in 2021 by Maincraft Media Fiction Book Awards;
The Red Hand (2019) a Distinguished Favorite in the 2019 Big NYC Book Contest
Named Second Place winner for mysteries in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
Named a Notable 100 Book in the 2019 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2020 Independent Press Awards
A Nominee in the 2020 TopShelf Book Awards
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Dragony Rising (2022) First Place for Mysteries in the 2022 Royal Dragonyfly Book Awards; named a Notable 100 Indie Book in the 2022 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards; A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Independent Press Awards. A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Big NYC Book Awards.
Divided by faces and beliefs, voices and dances.
