Until it’s your son found dead in the woods,
Your silence will remain the same—
staying hidden under your hood.
Until there is a death certificate,
for your child’s missing warm body,
Absent from the dinner table—then you’ll want vengeance, justice and empathy.
Until it’s your son,
quietness becomes addictive,
not caring because your child lives and breathes this man made
white privilege
Until it’s your son dead at the scene,
You’ll continue to be cruel, and your comments will be mean.
Until it’s your son returning in a body bag,
You’ll ignore the fears and tears that Black parents have.
Until it’s your son found hanging from a tree,
you’ll head to bed restful, getting a full night's sleep.
Until it’s your son, you’ll never understand
the worry Black families have raising a young Black man.
Until it’s your son,
never coming home again,
you’ll conveniently pretend.
Not a damn thing is happening.
Until it’s your son,
You’ll always trust the police.
Until it’s your son,
You’ll always feel protected and at peace.
Until it’s your son,
You’ll always ignore the pain and agony—
You’ll always find excuses for those who kill our children in the streets,
Until you wake up numb, sleepless, and feel every bit of defeat,
questioning God:
Why didn’t You take me?
Until you wake up so numb, sleepless, and feel every damn bit, every deafening ounce of defeat,
questioning—God Almighty:
Dropping to your knees:
Why God? Why didn’t you take me?
Until you wake up
in a bed full of tears,
watching your fears become reality—
You’ll never care to understand
this kind of pain and grief.
You’ll see the news,
wake up, drink your coffee,
walk through your day missing no sleep—
Until
it’s
your
son.
lifeless lying getting prepared for an autopsy
Until it’s your son
Lying cold in the coroner’s room
Lifeless with no heartbeat
Until it’s your son
You’ll never stop and think
#Until it’s your son
About Mahlaynee Cooper
Mahlaynee Cooper is a poet, teaching artist, and the founder of Speak Ya Peace NC.
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