Shirley Sherrod Blues
Shall I be silent while around me roars
Agony older than the night's darkness
Where wrath against innocency pours
Hunted only for God's milk of blackness
Listen to the baying fox, untethered hate
From primal jaws foaming: the hot chase
To villify, demonize, denounce, denigrate
And eradicate the ***** from honor's place
Shall be silent against this new madness
This churning xenophobic pyre of acid lies
This new Titanic of wasp loving happiness
Unclouding the old Babel at brim of skies?
Give me neither heart nor tongue if I stay
And quiver before the garrot of my race
Give me neither space nor legs to run away
From the incense in my blood for this place
I shall not let them lynch her alone, I will
Not allow their ancient demon to rise alone
And make new hells for us while I am still
The panther that dusky nights here enthrone.
The lynching ends and no boot licking clan
Or President will make the victim guilty feel
No apologies restore life to a quartered man
We are the intent of the new xenophobic zeal.
Remember her then, remember Shirley Sherrod
Remember her, my mother's daughter, my blood
For though your scorn leaps like lightning's rod
Be careful of the water, but wary of the flood.
I shall not be silent, nor shall I groan in pain
And tumble with the clanking chain. Mark this
My numbers now, and think fore you dare disdain
Our reasonable right to be and to co-exist.
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