Watching.
Staring.
Filming.
But,
Not -
Seeing.
Stopping.
Preventing.
The art of being a bystander -
Is not art, but bloodshed,
It is an act of inhumanity,
To watch Black bodies fall,
The modernised version of lynchings,
Where everyone is complicit -
And no one is innocent
The world’s cruelty knows no bounds,
Where the spectacle of Black death -
Brings people together as one,
From different communities and cultures,
To share the moment - where a Black life is gone
When it comes to the death of a Black person,
The world becomes desensitised to the horrors,
That are done to us -
To them it’s a way to gain followers -
A way to boost their social media platforms
Even videos of animal neglect gets more sympathy,
Their empathy extends only to animals,
But when a Black person is tortured -
For no reason,
The world claims it was our fault
The bystander effect was just an excuse to hide from -
Being held accountable,
Of being complicit - an accessory to murder
Trapped in a cage, viewed as animals
Plot twist - they were actually humans
Mocked, laughed at, seen as jesters -
Except it wasn’t entertainment -
Just pure cruelty,
To them it was a joke,
For us it was a humiliation ritual
No autonomy, no freedom, no rights
They were reserved only for the whites,
Our skin was the target of bullying,
Disrespected, as if being black meant we were the enemy
To them we were,
To them we were ‘inferior’ -
Just a means to an end for their enjoyment -
Like a comedy show, where we are the comedian,
Except we don’t have to speak to be funny,
They saw our skin as a hilarity -
Their idea of fun, was our suffering
If the conditions were to kill us,
They would see it as a bonus,
Rating our deaths as if it were a performance,
Conditions in the cages were poor,
But the treatment of us - even poorer,
To the oppressor it didn’t matter, as long as they were continuously entertained,
They were happy
When the palm tree sways,
She's always acts well.its role
ovation is heard
Alone with paws,
those brown bear mauls
though safe within these walls.
This form I inhabit, a one-eyed-creature
with unstrung pearls. The fur
savagely unfurls; the muscles
breathlessly bounding toward me.
I don’t feel helpless though
nothing’s helpful.
Up and down carry
of my spectacles. I am a spectacle.
Can’t see past the forest of trees.
I can hear the chuffing
of the predator. He knows
I can’t unrun him. Jocularly,
he’s on my chest, examining my eye,
heavy on my leg, giving me pause.
My life’s not in danger and yet
the enemy plays with my soul.
Still I know, he has no tricks,
nor treats, that God will not defeat.
Face spectacle
daunting optical illusion
Parallel mind heart intrusion
Whom are we to judge
Vessel filled with sludge
Temporarily soul devoid of joy
Father remold me fill my void
Upon renewing me mercy grace set me free
8/4/25
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2025©
Learn to cuss with class,
that way you don’t need a filter;
Sail off my Captain!
Embrace that stormy sea of
superlative spectacle.
Silver skates
the slash of ice
Fisticuffs ~
fool's paradise
I see a rotting occlude on the drywall in my attic at the peak of the ceiling beyond the walls veil for outside of it I came as a worm in a large world at the very core of a rotting apple only being who I am to be cast out as an abomination hoped to be dead but I want to heal everything escape this dreadful red.
My green autumn, you goaded me to write.
I love the way you sparkle, shake, and hurl.
Conquering my mind day and by the night,
Always musing about the shorn kiss curl.
Let me approach you with a square crowbar.
You are more snowy, magnetic, and bright.
Light storms whisk the twiglets of October.
And autumntime has a quiescent sight.
How do I love you? Let me deem the ways.
I love your brickle birds, kindling, and leaves.
Thinking of your fine brushwood fills my days.
My zeal for you is that upbeat reeves.
Now I must away with a frozen heart.
Memorize my posh terms whilst we're apart.
Written: October 17, 2022
All Hallows' Evening Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: craig cornish
Spectacle of lights,
I’m a washed up disco ball;
When you broke me I shattered,
electrified the floor;
Now all anyone can do is dance.
Exuberant morning...
is helium framework
sparkles repertoire
sun vertigo.
delirium of light !!
Specks on the window look like seagulls.
Almost as though flying eagles.
mind boggling event
monster trucks growling noises
head spinning wildly
written May 4, 2022
A face with the bitterest frown,
For long years expecting a crown;
Now in prickly sweat bathed
And A Tongue is scathed …
It’s really an awful spectacle,
Facing no challenge, no obstacle,
As reported by his mirror
Doing so without error;
Ability he’s got and Agility
And all his life no infirmity.
So, why is he, Chief Favor
Facing Monarchical Disfavor;
For long years living for a crown
And it’s public knowledge in a far-off town?
He is out to spread his tentacles
In the face, of combative obstacles,
And dying to end through a tackle
Any unacceptable spectacle
Between The Rickety and The Ramshackle:
Busy roads he’d started their channels,
Hateful robbers sealing off their tunnels,
Corrupt judges replacing with panels,
Supported subsidy showing with funnels,
Filling stations without towels obliging flannels
Bottled water for user of runnels
His love for dogs at their kennels...
Determinedly spreading his tentacles,
All the wrongly jailed breaking their shackles!
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