Poem: burning

a clump of molten black caging a pulsing raw heart

1 – 4 – 6 – 4

2 – 4 – 6 – 4

5 – 1 – 6 – 4

3 – 2 – 1 -4

beats the tempo

the sheen of the heart is like dripping sweat

Unfurling red streaks of paper agglutinated underneath

Sticky, staining, remembering the toil

and the pain

a silent frequency

ringing

vi-brating out of your mind

try to break

the misery

its weight drags you down

Try not to drown.

To be free,

requires

Embracing

your misery

Memories resurface in your weakest moments, late at night

pondering what should have been done,

could have done

Time is needed

to completely wash yourself clean

but

Remember: racism never leaves