Haiku Tribute to Trayvon Martin…and Change!
Posted on July 14, 2013 by Dr. Imani Ma'at under Haiku Poetry, Trayvon Martin, Violence

“Them against us and

Us against us ~ Something’s got

To Change or we’re doomed!”

This Haiku speaks about White on Black crimes (or systemic injustices) as well as Black on Black crime (homicides committed daily in the streets of major US cities). Yes, we have to address the systemic injustices by making it illegal to to kill a young Black boy for walking “while Black.” That goes without saying. And, we also have to look internally and do what we can to stop killing ourselves. More young black males die from murder than suicides, accidents and diseases combined. Since the murder of Trayvon Martin, there have been hundreds of young Black males killed at the hands of other Black males. Do we care more when the aggressor does not look like us? Both types of crimes are wrong,
CHANGE

Change

Of the heart, the mind

The openness to love

To challenges, risk, failures.

Change

Of the opoprtunities

To learn and to experience Life

Through another lens.

Change

Of our attitudes about change

Stepping out of the box

That is just an illusion anyway!

Change

Of our Perceptions of time

Knowing that tomorrow is a

Day away from when we

Must start activating our dreams.

Change

From being victimized to

Being Energized!

Ghetto-ized to En-Grandized.

Change

That makes us stop to breathe

And be he embodiment of God

That we were created to be

In the First Place.

Change

That makes us tap into our

Brilliance in a way that

Sends us whirling through space

Igniting new stars

And geniuses along the way!

Change

So powerful that it makes

Us realize that the place

That had us stuck no longer exists

So we are now freed up and fired up

To achieve in ways that only mirrors

The magnificence of our

Creation on this earth!

Copyright @ Dr. Imani Ma’at