Mukoma Wa Ngugi, 'No Ordinary Things'

[duathir.livejournal.com]

Cross-post from war_poetry:

No Ordinary Things

For black men and women, these are no ordinary things
A broken taillight, cigarette, cell phone, a spoon,
pocket knife, hoodies in 85 degree heat, skittles, a toy
sword, a toy gun in a children’s park, a toy rifle in a store

that sells toy rifles, a black wallet - and most lethal of all,
your black body. And driving with a four year old in the back
seat, your love in the front seat does not draw the picture
of a family going out to dinner, or coming home after

visiting grandparents, or just out for a drive to rock
your little girl to sleep. Running, jogging, or even just
sitting are no casual events. When the siren flashes each
ordinary thing becomes chance, life or death waiting.

By Mukoma Wa Ngugi
July 6, 2016
For the Black Lives Matter Movement

Comments

[pigshitpoet.livejournal.com]

wow!
that's poignant
thanks

[duathir.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome; I am glad you like it. It is good to see you here; I hope you are keeping well.

social distancing

[pigshitpoet.livejournal.com]

hi, i'm coping, and life is life..
no ordinary things, reminds me of a movie called a day without mexicans
where all the essential workers vanish and the rest are left to fend for themselves
and know not what to do..
life is like that
; )

[duathir.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it is.

so it is..

[pigshitpoet.livejournal.com]

so it seems..
; )