We are known for our lightness
Sun absorbing skin we smile the loudest
Deafening pulse our hearts know these streets will never forgive us
For we have given the most tender parts of us
We have surrendered our souls to belong in these corners that tear holes in our pocket so they stay empty even when we fill them
We are gods who have been reduced to beggars to fuel this city we call home
Because our hearts find refuge this city on cold winter nights
We have been dying for as long as we have lived here
We have seen these dead end alleys bury our heroes, mothers, fathers and daughters yet we still call them home because it’s all we have ever known
Don’t fight, fall inline like the rest seems to be the routine we have adopted
Keep your head down for the nail that stands out gets the hammer
Are we pawns in a game?
Sacrificed at will to protect the queen who has not set foot in my home?
We have been falling for as long as we first knew how to stand
Begging ever since the first stomach growl
Our bellies have never been full yet we never cry, we have became wolf in our skin we lick our wounds
Dead End
Our wrists are slits and bare, lines naked in readiness for suicide notes
Poetry was just another cry
Torn jeans was never just a style
Bracelets were fashionable just to hide the scars
Dreads locked because that’s just who we are