by Erin Dale
This is for my sister freedom fighter Viridiana Martinez who again and again has shown me what is to have courage and strength and to fight for what is right. http://www.thedreamiscoming.com/viridiana/
to the dreamers
im a black woman
born in this usa
but they don’t treat me like a citizen
what the hell is one anyway?
i got a piece of paper that says i belong here
but this land isn’t mine
was stolen before i got here
the history twisted over time
dreamers come from their country to their country
crossing imaginary lines
we say “you don’t belong here”
they say “this land used to be mine”
but we – folks like me
with common sense who know our history
know they stole texas, florida and new mexico
because of the slaves you sheltered
that is truth deeper than deep roots
usa sells bulls@*! deeper than deep roots
and asks the dreamer for their paper, their proof
when we should look in history books
for the proof
they can’t change truth but they can disguise it
call it a law and dreamers illegal
to hide behind it
but can’t really deny it
this land is not their land
this land is not mine
belongs to native american tribes
why didn’t Native Americans ask for our papers
instead of drinking our wine?
why didn’t Native Americans tell us to go home
instead of teaching us to feed ourselves
now we starve youth that are dreaming
and ask them to get to the back of the line
i can’t stand this bulls@*!
they have stolen dreams like they stole the land
can’t go to college and get an education
can’t drive to work or
be in immigrant in an immigrant nation
but can live in fear that ice will come
can work the fields and can pay taxes
and please, please keep cleaning up after capitalists
and don’t ask to participate
or for the citizenship owed you
because usa don’t like to pay what they owe,
40 acres and a mule
still waiting for it to show
do keep dreaming, keep fighting for the dream
i believe its not as far away as it seems
cause folks like me are dreaming and fighting beside you
and will
until we can all feel like citizens too.
