The Quiet Revolution

The quiet Revolution
of being Black in America
Where our bodies are always on auction blocks
We are bought and sold for fragile egos
Where our defiance is listed under justifiable homicide
Justice is a word we don’t know
and we are told to just go along
Even when the police are hell-bent on violating our rights
We should just obey
We should just obey
We should just obey?
Our lives should not be preserved because of your fragile ego
Because you can’t handle a Black person who will not cower
Because you can’t handle a Black person who will not
bend
break
bow
or be broken by your “authority”
The quiet Revolution
of being Black in America
an America that still demands we play by different rules
can’t carry BB guns in public
can’t smoke in our own cars
can’t break up fights
can’t walk down the street
can’t ride bikes
America God Damn
can we be Black and breathe?
can we be Black and assertive?
can we be Black and survive?
can we be Black and live?
To be Black and unbowed is an act of Revolution
the Quiet Revolution of being Black in America

By Daniel Johnson

Daniel Johnson studies English at Sam Houston State University. In his spare time, he likes to visit museums and listen to music. He has self-published two collections of poetry and has written several short stories.