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ANTI-BELLUM WORLD


WHEN I WAS A CHILD MY THOUGHTS WERE AS EMPTY AS THE
FEELINGS IN MY HEART.


WHAT I THOUGHT WAS NOT AS IMPORTANT WAS THE OTHER MAN'S
REASONING.


MY DREAMS WERE IN COLOR AND MY NIGHTMARES WERE IN BLACK
AND WHITE.


MY EYES WERE BLOOD RED FROM THE WINDS OF RACISM AND MY
MOUTH HELD TIGHT WITH FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.


MY NEEDS WERE FEW AND MY WANTS WERE PLENTIFUL AND FAR
FROM MY GRASP.


THE ONLY DOOR THAT OPENED LED TO BONDAGE AND CAPTIVITY.


MY SKIN WAS NOT THE COLOR OF THE WEEK, THE MONTH, THE YEAR
OR THE DECADE.


MINE WAS NOT THE ONLY FACE CRACKED BY THE COLD HATRED
RENDERED TO A MASS OF PEOPLE.


MANY PLACES WERE OFF-LIMITS TO MY KIND AND WATER WAS FREE
IF YOU WERE AT THE RIGHT FOUNTAIN.


THE COOLING WATERS OF THE FREEDOM FOUNTAIN NEVER
SOOTHED MY TONGUE NOR THE OTHERS LIKE ME.


MORE THAN ONCE IT SEEMED LIKE THE ONLY PLACE I COULD BE A
MAN WAS IN MY HOME.


MY KINGDOM WAS BEING SEPERATED BY DESIGN, AND I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW RECONNECT THE FIBERS OF HOPE.


MY CHILDREN LOOKED UP TO ME, THOUGH THE DISTANCE WAS
SHORTENED BECAUSE MY BACK BENT WITH OPPRESSION.


THEIR FACES GREW DRENCHED WITH THE TEARS I COULDN'T HOLD
BACK.


MY HAND CRACKED AND WRINKLED HELD TIGHT TO THE PLOW THAT
CULTIVATES MY FIELD OF HOPE AND DESIRE.


EACH DAY I LOST MORE OF MY SOUL AND THE THOUGTS OF
CHANGING DAYS.


MY HEART GREW HEAVY WITH THE INJUSTICE THAT BINDS FEELINGS,
WHILE THE BALL OF BONDAGE DECENDS AIMLESSLY.


TARGETED AT MY HEAD SO THAT THE BODY OF MY RACE WILL NOT
SURVIVE.


MY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY GREW WITH EVERY REVOLUTION OF
THE WHEEL THAT SUPPORTS INEQUALITY.


MY LIFE IS A PUZZLE WITH TOO MANY PIECES THAT WERE TORN SO
THEY WOULDN'T FIT.


MY HOME IS A PRISON THAT HOLDS CAPTIVE THE EXPRESSION AND
IMPRESSIONS THAT MUST BE SILENTLY SWALLOWED.


BOWELS FILLED WITH UNDIGESTALE STIGMA AND IDEALS OF SOME
DAY BEING FREE FROM WHAT HOLDS ME.


BEATENED TO THE POINT OF ALMOST FEELING THAT IT IS DESERVED,
WHILE I KNOW THAT IT IS ALL HIS-TORY


YET, MY LOVE FOR FREEDOM STILL SURVIVES WHILE MY LIFE
WITHOUT ACCEPTANCE STRANGLES THE ROOTS OF PROMISE.

Written by John A. Smith

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