Dear, Alkebulan, Mother of Mankind
Alkebulan, mother of mankind.
Striped from my royal family to a land of no return.
Kidnaped. Forced into labor, for i have committed no crime
Not even viewed as human, for i have “offended God”.
Silenced with their knee on my neck for I have lost all pride.
Alkebulan mother of mankind.
Picking tobacco sunrise to sun down
Under the aggressive sun beating my forehead like the sweet yams you once provided me with back of a time of no more.
Sores, gashes, burns and worn out souls of my bare feet.
Silenced with their knee on my neck for I have lost all respect.
Alkebulan, mother of mankind.
I am the1st generation freed enslaved Africans.
I have worked, and put up with the evil that has been put upon my head.
I have loved and cherished.
I am an infant, mother, father, sister, brothe.
Dead and gone, and somehow some way. Still silenced with their knee on my neck on my grave.
Alkebulan, mother of mankind
What a land I’ve been kidnaped to!!! Where my remains are toiled with, like a child in the flowing water
of Senegal River. Where there is respect for ones that have killed, steeled and destroyed yet no respect for
the ones that have died from the stuffing done by their hands.
Where women have been killed and taken advantage of.
Where little boys have been lynched for being children
Where systemic racism has been covered up with “ were just doing our job”
And still. Silenced with their knees on our neck.
Alkebulan, mother of mankind.
My brother and sisters
Do you hear their cry! They are uprising in unity and love. Putting a stop to the hate crime being done to
our remains! They are chanting and protesting for us!
And still they try to silence us with their knees on our necks.
No more.
Alkebulan, Mother of mankind.
My Black Girl Love
Yeah you call me ugly,
Yet you stare in awe
As if my nose is not so funny.
Ironic huh? My beauty cuts in between your hate like a saw.
Yeah you call me ugly
Yet you’re so flabbergasted by my glowing skin.
Does your skin do that on a beach soo sunny?
Ironic huh? My melanin is swimming like a fish in the sea admiring its fin.
Yeah you call me ugly.
Yet you pressure yourself to have my textured hair
“It’s too kinky, too hard and does it smell, why do you leave it puffy?”
Ironic huh? I guess there’s more untold beauty beyond what my hair can share.
Yeah you call me ugly,
Yet you go out for the injections making projections for the perfections of your reflections
And come back and call me over weight because I’m too rounded in certain places and that’s no debate.
Media has shown enough of your jealousy that interacts with your envy but look what has become of me.
I am now so bold and strong, my voice vibrates like a banging gong my hair flows like water benef my
toes. Travelling up my luscious curves toward my nose my lips are big and full like a rose……… so yes.
Thank you.
Yeah you say I’m ugly.
Your hate has built what has become of me.
Pride and strength all from your envy.
Please don’t struggle, because I know you love me.
Yeah I know I’m “ugly”.
I’m About To Die
I’m about to die
My heart is pounding as I’m being cooperative. Yes sir. Hands forward. No Resist.
For I know what will become of me.
I’m about to die.
This fear rumbling down my back reflecting towards my stomach is making me sick.
IS THIS JUSTICE! I’m shaking and my palms are sweaty. God it’s between me and you whether
I had prior knowledge but..
LORD you know I walked out that store!
I’m about to die
This can’t be happening, brothers funerals televised on TV.
OH! It’s my turn, for There is no “JUSTICE” without blood spill.
I’m about to die.
There’s not much air.
Generations and generations, we’ve been held in their captivity being brutally slaughtered. The
sharp pain a mother feels for her child in her womb.
You masters of war that feed you evil to my communities.
I’M ABOUT TO DIE!
MAMA! Hear my cry!
This pigs knee is suffocating me as IF HE’S KNEE IS EMBEDDED THROUGH MY
ESOPHAGUS!
There is no resist! I cannot breathe! This evil uncomfortness you masters of war! When will this
end? Take my body, but you can’t take the fire burning in our souls!
Lord I’ve never experienced death before but it seems so familiar.
MAMA!
I feel the blood I feel the blood stop running through my veins. I’m about to die! PIG are you
happy?! Is this the fate for the young ones to come?
Death, I’m dead, but don’t quench my fire you masters of war.
In remembrance of Mr. George Floyd.
Just Love Alabi is a high school student in Maryland who says, “I love to do several forms of art: painting, dancing, rapping, and a little acting. I have a strong passion for letting my voice be heard. As a young female Ghanaian-Togolese American, I want my voice to be a platform for change throughout the world. I have been so affected by the recent deaths. I am looking forward to learning and engaging with other poets through their many forms of talents.”
