it’s the 19th of June
quietly I’ll celebrate
I’ll do somethin’ that I like
listen to tunes that make me feel great
it’s also the day before
my brother’s birthday
a big beautiful black man
that some people view as prey
on June 19th
in 18 and 65
the last of the slaves were freed
when General Granger arrived
and a people migrated
north, east and west
seeking to live a normal life
to this end they tried their best
fast-forward 400 years
to 19th June 2020
and the virus of racism
still decimates lands of plenty
bullets, dogs, tear gas
death by cop, death by car
it would seem humanity
has not evolved very far
still no justice, still no peace
a people still treated as slaves
while no one gives any thought to
the mothers weeping over graves
once again there’s prayers and protests
officials making speeches trite
no comfort to those who are seeking
to live safe like others: that’s their right
yeah, today’s Juneteenth
we honour the ancestors who have died
as for our futures we’re still pleading
for an end to black genocide
copyright © 2020 KPM
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