The Hated Color of the Night

The Hated Color of the Night By: Aidan Gilbert When will the land of bitter discontinue us as a home When will the dead leafless tree reach out a branch to us, For we are equals When will its rotted wood give us shelter from the rains of injustice When will our pile of colorless leaves blow around on the dead grass When will Satan give us a call to come over Because I’ve heard Hell is better then where we are right now Why are we the weeds that grow in the sidewalk cracks that get trampled on When will people stop blaming me for the thorn bush that grows in my heart When will hope become a person who lives in the shadow’s of injustice To do works we can’t When will black be added to the bunch of colorful balloons that float with joy When can I have faith that my child’s life will not be sharpened or rugged By the rock of hate When can I not be scared That when I go to heaven, I will not be jumped and thrown into Hell When can we become rocks that aren’t painted But accepted as true beauty When will the birds sing a prettier song and the storms that follow us bring a rainbow But I don’t want a rainbow because there isn’t the color black When will our people stop being used as the nails To build the foundation of the white people When will God love me! When can I stop crying that when we are the last people to enter heaven We won’t be kicked out because were black Most important, when will black become the color of peace Instead the hated color of the night (MLK Jr. Tribute)