Entitled "Are Y’all Havin A Good Time?"

The block is alive

Boy it is hot like Lil Wayne

Many ingredients make up the culture

In this melting pot of collard greens cleaned in the bathtub

And seasoned with your soul

The smell of irons pressing clothes

Dungarees sprawled on the bed

Pink hair lotion feels the air

This is my favorite season

Uncles drinking 40s

Talking smack the spades game intensifies

Much like the police presence in the neighborhood

Hopefully this prayer is not long like the last one

I’m starving for a plate

Just like I continuously starve to make it out of poverty’s vice grip

As the hours on the clock somersaults the time from day to night

The siren Blares

Suddenly everyone is in survival mode

The officer strolls to the gate

He commands the music be turned down

As he proceeds to stroll away

The volume is slowly brought back up

The DJs demeanor ignorantly says

“My people will be muted no longer“

Within a few short minutes of a breath

The officers pride brings him back

And the standoff begins

The metal handcuffs unfastened from his belt

His mouth does not utter a word

A group of older black men knowing far too well what is about to happen motion toward him

as the words A profanity exit his mouth

He is rushed into the car

The needle on the record player skips

Just like all of our hearts

The sad song continues

The tears of the community are the chorus

Are y’all having a good time?

I hope you learned today’s lesson

Peace be with you my brother

Go upstairs and think about what you have done