Dear People Poem by Zahir Kijani

Dear People,

Imma begin and end this with “To you” and “Sincerely Yours”
So no one’ll have to ask who’s it from and who this is for
And I’m not sayin this to simply open up doors
It’s because this is how I feel and it’s best without chords
So just as precautionary measures this isn’t meant to be racist
But the lines target a certain people so just know where your place is
Now anyway the black man is thought to have come so far
From bein lynched and whipped and beaten to now zoomin in cars
But question, how far have we really come in the matter of years
Here are some words that if heard by the slave boy would bring him to tears The metal collars worn by slaves strippin his pillar makin em neckless
Has become a fashion statement for niggaz now flashin diamonds by wearin a necklace
And blood dripped from the punished in slave crips if he misbehaved
The crippled bloody slaves, so now the biggest gangs are Bloods and Crips as a name
Brutally slashed in the back and it’s weird how from where it’s derivin it’s,
Somehow cool for niggaz to cruise by drivin whips
And not always with a weapon
Some were killed from punches and kicks but mostly beaten with sticks
But at any moment a kids shoes is stepped on he’s killin for kicks
Our ancestors were shackled from arms to feet dealin with terrible pain
But most niggaz in our day go about tryna find the biggest of Chains
So as the white man used to weave rope to hang niggaz and leave em dead
Black women now take the white women’s hair to weave in their head
These mentally swerved niggaz want larger everything cause they deserve bigga
And to this day neither me or my fellow niggaz can resist usin the word nigga
But is it that far-fetched from a culture of people who rocks “ice” on their sleeves?
It seems we’ve finally got the memo from hearin police yell “Freeze! ”
Please take the time to think this is a portion of the things we glorify
And I’m horrified that we use their guns to shoot us and there’s more to die
We use these drugs and sell em too
Until there’s no one left to sell em to
And we cloud our mind and blind our judgement, and these demons now are yellin through
I’m tellin you this world has seen the greatest wars and the latest scene
Has been death to my people, by my people, now the greatest seen
We dress in clothes sizes way too big that leaves are pants saggin
Which we’re called out upon by white people play it backwards and you’ll see what happened.
Why are you saggin? Niggas you are, why? Why can’t we live? When must they die?
These words are directed into our minds only effective subconsciously
So next time you think to lose your cool or carry yourself obnoxiously
Think about the statistics and the type of stereo
That’ll base you in with waves of trouble no matter where the ferry goes
And if you haven’t got it by now this isn’t aimed at whites anymore
This message is directed at my people that can see deep into their cores
Their souls and spirit, a once dignified race reduced to scrubbin floors
Who’ll make a change for us this is to you Sincerely yours.