World on Fire

The world is burning.
You cannot ignore us now.

We are a forest fire raging,
our anger and our fear like lava flows...

You say BE PATIENT -  This is not the way!

But we have waited - WAITED FOR YOU - to stand by our sides and say no more.

Because in this world it's YOUR VOICE that carries.
YOUR WATER that holds weight.
You who could extinguish fires instead leave them to smolder.

And OUR BROTHERS die!
Our SISTERS die!
OUR CHILDREN DIE!

And YOU just watch the smoke never thinking fire.

The world is burning.
We are burning,
begging,
pleading to be seen.

Heard.

Treated as you would treat your own.

We are people JUST LIKE YOU
But - YOU -
YOU see us as something else and make us something
WE ARE NOT.

You have no idea about INJUSTICE until you live it every day.

EVERY
DAY

Everyday I ask myself, "Is this the day I never make it home?"

SLA 05/31/2020