Black Cry Poem by Rue Palmer

Black… cry.
Blood-tear fall from di sky.
Voice of di ghetto whisper…
But di echo shout back… Why?

Dem seh we nuh deserve no free ride.
But we carry heavy burden pon black pride.
Dem laugh…
Humiliation inna dem eyes.
Dem seh our face look like depression.
And di world cyaan hear…
Our black cry.

Jam up inna station.
Dem tell we… Work. Work. Work.
But how fi work…
When di system build fi mek we soul hurt?

Dem tek joy.
Tek hope.
Tek breath.
Tek try.
Til nuttin lef…
But a deep… dark… cry.

Cry fi justice.
Cry fi peace.
Cry fi freedom weh neva release.

Cry fi di youths gone too soon.
Cry fi di dream dem drown under noon.
Cry fi di voice dem mute in fear.
Cry fi di truth dem refuse fi hear.

But still…
We stand.
We chant.
We rise.

Even when dem try fi bury di life.
Crush di voice.
Silence di mind.