Battle Black

When does the Black boy turn into a threat?
Is it when his soulful gaze makes the cowards around him sweat?
Unamused and unassuming about those around him
why does he have to wonder why everyone else is wondering about what thoughts are streaming behind those eyes

Maybe he's thinking about his stressed out parents who can't make rent
His mind reminiscing about last birthday's camping trip
No, definitely the last thing to stumble across this guy's mind is those who would deem to label him violent and dangerous without his consent

But they don't want to know the real
They don't want to know how he really feels 
Assuming all the skin folk are a monolith
Barely audible racist slurs passed across cracked lips

Naw, let this person just be himself
Got enough to carry without the world piling on, can't you tell?
The weight of race making his own existence an unsafe place
Wait...no, misspoke there
To be you is never a burden
No need to allow others insecurities act as a curtain
That much he knows for certain 

It's inside that he's secure
It's inside that he's sure
For he knows who he is
Even if the bigots will never consider to call him a friend

Why should others be coddled and understood?
Just because they didn't grow up in his neighborhood?
If you don't know, then you're not going to know 
Isn't it in under the same harsh dusty sun  every type of plant grows?

The Black boy is not a danger
even though he rightfully and righteously holds generations of anger
The Black boy is prophet, prospect, beloved angel
even as it is through racist hell his footsteps are oft entangled 

Take a look in his eyes if you dare to see..
Take a moment or three, allow compassion in and your fear will flee
While that boy may not be you
He is damn sure a part of me
And in my sight 
You'll see I'm so weary, so tired of this god forsaken fight

The war may not end in my lifetime
Waging battles so that our sons do not have to stand on the front lines
Peace shouldn't only be allowed for others 
Because I too want it to be mine

I'm tired of battling Black 
I'm tired of battling back
I'm tired of the global family I'm a part of always being under attack

I'm tired of being reminded of what the rest of the world lacks
I'm tired of corpses in graveyards continuing to stack
But even in this, hope has not yet begun to crack

I'll lay down my arms 
You'll see my words and weapons here have done no harm
No need to sound the alarm

Keep your family safe
and on the other side of this we'll feel no need to bring the war back
I'll let you know though
It's been the highest honor of my life that I got to battle Black