Pandita Sietesantos Poet Lyric

I Can'T Breathe

I Can’t Breathe
 
My Country, I ask of thee,
why do you still hate me?
America the Beautiful,
why, why, am I scorned and reviled,
your unwanted dark child?
 
With your knee on my neck,
I’m still enslaved,
gasping for breath..
gasping for breath…
waiting for the Angel of Death.
 
You despise my skin,
this honeyed skin of a blackened hue; 
you lynch me  - hang me from a tree,
from sea to shining sea.
Dear God, will I ever be free?
 
With your knee on my neck,
I’m still enslaved,
gasping for breath..
gasping for breath…
waiting for the Angel of Death.
 
Enslaved by your forefathers
from the 17th Century,
you sent your hounds after me,
set me on fire,
ripped the baby from my swollen belly...
why oh why, Sweet Land of Liberty?
Why are you free only for some...
but never for me?
 
With your knee on my neck,
I’m still enslaved,
gasping for breath..
gasping for breath…
waiting for the Angel of Death.
 
You curse my dark skin
and I'm nothing to you,
I'm just a non-entity with no soul.
Yes, my crime is my blackness;
heartless, you laugh as I plead,
heartless you watch as I bleed...
and then you watch me die.
 
With your knee on my neck,
I’m still enslaved,
gasping for breath..
gasping for breath…
waiting for the Angel of Death.
 
You've shackled and pinned me down,
now I’m helpless on the ground...
and I can’t breathe;
I'm telling you ... I can't breathe.
But as I take my last breath,
don't you ever forget, 
that not even the Angel of Death…
can obliterate the generations
that will take root and rise up,
from my Blessed Blackness.
 

Date:         06-13-2020
Contest:     I Can't Breathe Poetry Contest
Sponsor:    Richard Lamoureux
Placement: 2nd Place

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Vladislav Raven August 5, 2020 at 8:26 AM Hi Pandita, firstly, congratulations on your win with this powerful, realistic write. There is great sadness in what you write. It is so sad that anyone can die because of the colour of their skin, their ethnicity. Their is only one ethnicity and that should be human. Take away all labels but that one. I don't think there shall be equality while I live but we can move towards it. This is a write that brings tears to the eyes. Has to be a fav. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Love and Hugs....Mike. XX Pandita Sietesantos October 10, 2020 at 4:57 PM Hi Mike, unfortunately, this is all too true! Many of us are still in the dark ages, and sadly, even though we are so scientifically/technologically advanced, our thought processes, attitudes, and behaviors toward our fellow man, have not evolved with these rapidly changing times! Have an awesome weekend, dear friend! Always love and hugs. Pandita

Joseph May June 17, 2020 at 8:34 PM So powerful and sad Pandita, Congrats on your win.. Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:55 PM Thank you, thank you, dear Joseph for your great compliments which mean a lot to me! Hope you're enjoying your weekend! Hugs. Pandita

Mohan Chutani June 16, 2020 at 6:55 AM Pandita, great to see your muse and fine win. Congrats dear friend. Mohan Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:47 PM Hi Mohan, it's great to receive your lovely compliments! Thank you very much! Have an enjoyable weekend! Hugs and best regards. Pandita

John Watt June 15, 2020 at 10:38 PM Pandita, this brought tears to my eyes. My country was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men (and women) were created equal. We still have so far to go, and it makes me sad that lives are still being taken. I applaud you for this amazing poem. ~ John Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:37 PM Hi John, thank you so kindly for stopping by and leaving me your compliments and heartfelt response! I totally agree with you, and regrettably, while mankind has made great strides in technological and other advancements, we are lagging far behind on advancing racial equality. Yes, my friend, we have miles to go before we sleep! Best regards. Pandita

Paghunda Zahid June 15, 2020 at 1:35 PM Wow.. And congratulations! Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:16 PM Paghunda, thank you very much for you congratulatory words! Best regards. Pandita

Beata Agustin June 15, 2020 at 2:30 AM Wow! Congrats! Thanks for sharing this. God bless you. Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:09 PM Thank you so much Beata! Hugs and blessings!

Connie Marcum Wong June 14, 2020 at 7:06 PM It is every American's God given right to be treated equal, but I doubt that will ever happen. We are making progress little by little but not nearly fast enough. Parents need to stop passing on their prejudice to their offspring. I have experienced the reverse here from locals who almost killed my son because he is white. It is very sad. You relate this well in your wonderful poem Panagiota. Congratulations on your second place win! Blessings xxoo Pandita Sietesantos June 21, 2020 at 12:00 PM Dear Connie, thank you for your awesome response and I absolutely agree with you - racial and other forms of discrimination are such atrocities that continue to take a huge toll on our humanity. Discrimination of all kinds begins at home and parents are responsible for what they teach their children. I'm so totally appalled by the reverse discrimination that your son has suffered! It's all very sad and tragic. I pray that we are going forward in the right direction to make this a better world for all regardless of our differences. Love and hugs.

Rico Leffanta June 14, 2020 at 1:36 PM Mankind is always searching for love but quickly settles on hate. Aloha! Rico Pandita Sietesantos June 14, 2020 at 4:49 PM Many thanks, Rico! Unfortunately, that's all too true my friend. Hugs. Pandita

Besma Riabi Dziri June 14, 2020 at 12:01 PM I can't breathe, what shall I do to stay alive? Peel my skin! For you to admire my drive?! How would I, hate, contempt, intolerance.. survive?! Blessed Humanity! A great rendition! Congratulations on your outshining placement, Pandita! A great pleasure to read your poetry.. My deepest regards and blessings. Pandita Sietesantos June 14, 2020 at 12:49 PM My dear sweet, friend, Besma, thank you for your wonderful, kind words and thank you for your awesome insightful comments which I appreciate! Have a superb week ahead! Hugs and love. Pandita

Richard Lamoureux June 14, 2020 at 11:03 AM Thanks for adding your voice. Congrats on your win. Hugs Rick. Pandita Sietesantos June 14, 2020 at 11:41 AM Thank you too Rick for the opportunity and the win! Hugs. Pandita

John Hamilton June 13, 2020 at 10:23 PM What a powerful write Pandita, I can hear the song being sung by the myriads of people who are oppressed, here in Canada it's the native indigenous people who are being killed, racism is universal each country has it's own version of this kind of pandemic ! Pandita Sietesantos June 14, 2020 at 2:05 AM Hi John, I greatly appreciate your awesome, well-articulated comments. Thank you kindly. It's such a shame that while the world continues to evolve in many respects, humanity has not evolved beyond the baseness of racism and ethnocentrism.

Tom Cunningham June 13, 2020 at 5:22 PM No human being has the right to enslave another be they black, white or whatever. Such cruelty we're seeing today belongs in medieval times. Well written Pandita, lovely to see you, hope you are well. Good luck in the contest. Tom Pandita Sietesantos June 13, 2020 at 5:36 PM Hi Tom,you're absolutely right, my friend and thank you for your great feedback! I hope you and your loved ones are staying strong, healthy, and safe! Have a wonderful weekend! Hugs. Pandita