What Happened To Us Along The Way?

Somewhere along the way we got lost.
We strayed from the path of our forefathers.
And as women, we seem to be no longer aware
that we owe a legacy of love to our daughters.

We never flinched when our sisters were called ‘Hos’.
And we never thought anything of this disrespect.
Our men were not taken to task for their misogyny.
Now, of their daughters, we see only the neglect.

What happened to us along the way?
When did we become so jaded and so lost?
And have we ever stopped to wonder why?
Why we are now being made to pay the cost?

You live in a world of people who hate your guts.
And you give to them the respect you deny your mother.
Never do you stop to think that if the tables were turned,
would a white man ever stand up and be counted as your brother?

Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2016 Shelby I. Courtland

This one speaks to all Black people because we have seriously lost our way when we as Black  women, answer to being called a “Ho!” And Black men, you should be ashamed of yourselves in calling Black women, ‘Hos’.  These women gave birth to you and the least you could do is show them the respect they deserve and what about your sons and your daughters? How are you setting an example for your sons when they hear you disrespect their mother and by doing so, you also disrespect your own daughter because if you can call the mother of your children out of their name, then you won’t mind when someone else does likewise to your own daughter. These issues need to be addressed because we need some unity in the Black community especially with all that is going down every single day. If we cannot depend on each other, who can we depend on?

We’d best wake the hell up because at the end of the day, who the hell else is caring about the Black family?

The Devolution of Evolution

There are those who say that we must wait for human evolution

and that we are just as wrong if we start a revolution.

Humans have devolved into what you see today.

There are those who glimpse the suffering and they simply turn away.

They care not for the hungry, no tears shed for the sick.

They beat them down and shame them, it usually does the trick.

Must they take another look; no glasses hued in rose

and speak to me of what they see with eyes that do not close.

There is a war throughout the land in one form or another.

We do not love our sister and we hate our foreign brother.

There are those who walk the streets, they have no home at all.

They were sold out by the bankers who never take a fall.

The rich have all the power and the poor are in a bind.

If you fail to see the problem, there is something on your mind.

Or could it be you just won’t see because you would reject

that we have not evolved and are stuck in retrospect.

The ones who see and understand that something must be done

are those who care for all and not just care for one.

If ever we evolve, and there is no sign we have

the future looks too bleak if what we use is salve,

to staunch the flow of blood from those who are in pain

and never hold accountable, the ones who wield the chain.

Alone, we cannot act, we need you all onboard

as this is not a game, and we can ill afford,

to not join in the fray nor start the protest march

nor arm ourselves with nature’s tools and branch out like the larch.

Where once we stood alone, we now stand arm in arm

And those who are the enemy are those who do us harm.

Violence begets violence and this I understand

but power will not yield with just a reprimand.

Those with much to lose will crush us if we try.

They must hear our roar, they must heed our cry.

For peace can never reign without a show of might.

No matter who is wrong, no matter who is right.

Written by,

Shelby I. Courtland

© 2013 Shelby I. Courtland