Boy, Please Poem by Afia Gyimah

'Boy, how do you feel with that gun, ?
Do you feel cool? '
'Boy, put the gun down,
Do you feel safe, ?
Waving that thing around,
Talkin' all that talk,
Boy, do you really mean it, ?
Would you really shoot? '
Boy, listen to your mother,
Don't let them coerce you,
Don't let this path drag you away
She's trying her hardest
But it's like she's losing you
'Boy, stop sneaking out'
In the back of the alleyway
Bags of god knows what
You call it a hustle
Acting all tough
But deep down inside
You know you feel so confused
Boy, I know you scared
But you'll deny it either way
'You never had yo' daddy,
But that doesn't mean you need to act this way'
Do you think he'd be happy?
'Boy, you the man of this house,
You gotta be tough'
But not like this
'Boy, wash yo' mouth with soap,
Put that language away'
You're too young to have to feel this way
Throwing away your life like this?
'Boy, you playing with yo' life'
Risking it every day
But what else can you do?
I know how you feel
Feeling like you're meant to survive
It shouldn't have to be this way
You think it's the only way out
'Boy, that shit ain't precious,
You ain't even had yo' first kiss
Keep thinking guns are cool until they spin on you'
Acting like this and they will judge you
But you're really really scared
And you're clueless as to what to do
Everywhere you look it's the same shit
Every kid you grew up with
Either popping Glocks
Or shooting up blocks
Most of them are dead now
'Boy, don't hang wit' them,
They's a bad influence'
You think your mama hates you
But trust me she loves you, boy
It's tough, but it's love
She has to raise you and your siblings all alone
She's on food stamps
Struggling to make money for ya'll to live
Section 8 ain't the best option on the plate
But it's an option and you still living
Projects or not you still got your mama
'Boy, I tell you I'm tryin'
All yo' relatives, they dyin'
Don't be like yo' daddy, don't play these games
Don't be like them, boy
I'm telling you, I'm tryna raise you right
But you just seem to always put up a fight
Out there, getting yo' shit rocked up
I'm just concerned for you, boy
I'm yo' mama, I love you
I just wanna be there
So tell me, boy, if there's anything
That you wanna talk about
I'm here, baby, I'm always here'
She tries and she tries
But the impression
The reputation
That you try to hold keeps up the might
You try to convince yourself that you're fighting for something right
You tell yourself it's for your family
Your mama
Your sister, your brother
'Boy, they look up to you
Don't make them believe this shit is okay
By the grace of god, boy, I pray
For your well-being because
I'm beginning to feel hopeless
I pray for strength and clarity
Because boy, god knows you done fucked up this way'
You try to keep up
Follow what they do
Another one is dead
'Boy, I'm telling you
Please tell me the truth'
But you just can't stop lying
But lord knows you're trying
You feel like your mama doesn't care
But at the same time, you hate to see her hurting
You hate to see her crying
Every tear that runs down her face
You wish you could wipe away
But you can't stop doing what you're doing
You can't stop behaving this way
It's be like the others, or death is at bay
Be like them or not, death is always there
'Boy, I swear you too young for this shit
Knockin' up bitches?
I swear this shit ridiculous'
Every night you pray to God
Sometimes you feel like he don't even care
You don't feel like nobody cares
Was this the path you were destined for?
Was this the path you all were set up for?
Bodies dropping left and right
Don't get too attached
Because once they're out your sight
They die in the late hours of night
Same way everyone else goes
Playing with those guns
Or found in the back of the building
With a needle in they arm
'Boy, don't go like them
Have some dignity, go with some honour
Why can't you be more like yo' cousin?
DeMarcus, he an artist'
You always strive to be like them
Be like whoever you're supposed to look up to
But you don't know who you're supposed to look up to
Because God doesn't answer
Or so you think, but so many others pray to him
For the same reason you do
In the darkest hours of night, you pray
Tears staining your face
You think nobody is listening
But boy, these walls are thin
Your mama has an ear to the wall
She hears you and she hurts
To know her baby is suffering
She tries everything she can
But it never deters you from the path you choose
God won't answer, you say
So you go and follow everyone else
'Boy, I'm telling you,
Please pray,
All yo' worries will go away
Just trust me, baby
I pray to him every day
You may not think he answers
But don't give up hope, boy
He hears you, you just have to wait'
You just don't listen
Dress like them, talk like them
Act like them, do the things they do
Killing your body
Those drugs won't do no good
Those damn guns won't protect you
It's too late because your heart is too far gone
The guns don't protect your emotions
The drugs won't make the feelings go away
'Boy, stop it
You killing yo' self
You know I love you
Boy, I really do
You know I'll do anything to protect you
I pray for you every day, you know
For yo' safety
Because God knows I can't fully protect you
And the things that you do'
Every day is a struggle to survive
You're really scared
But the guns and the murder give you something
The drugs, they give you a feeling
They give you adrenaline
You put on a mask
To make it appear that you're tough
But you're so beyond terrified
'Boy, I trust in you
I just want you to listen
We ain't meant to survive
It's a setup
But God can help us
I'm sure of it
I know you tryin' real hard
But you can try in other ways
Boy, I'm sorry
I don't mean to make you mad
I just worry
Every day
I love you so much
You my baby no matter what'
White kids have all these dreams
Of being doctors, firefighters
When they grow up
But you just fighting to survive
You just want to be alive
But that possibility is growing too slim
The idea of death seeming grim
'Boy, please
Come home safely
Don't let me find out you went out hurtin' others
Or hurtin' yo' self
I hear there's a storm comin'
I got some food
I can cook a hot meal
I'll ask yo' siblings to save some for you
I'm getting somewhere, baby
I just got a new job
I'm startin' to think
God is answering our prayers
I'm feeling hopeful, baby
For the first time in a long time
Now you have a good night
And please, boy
I'm gettin' somewhere
So come home safely
By the grace of God'
Gunshots echo through the storm
Red and blue
Flashing
The red overtakes the blue
The sound of crashing
Rain and thunder
Agony
Tears being washed away by the rain
Blood streams down the concrete
His lifeless body lay in her lap
'BOY PLEASE'
Violent sobs
Drowned by the thunder
'I prayed
Things were going good..
Don't leave me baby..
Don't leave me...
You was all I got..
Who gon' be the man of the house?
Why, God? ? ?
WHY? ? ?
Do things gotta be this way
I tried so hard
To raise you right
It's all my fault, baby
I love you
I'm so sorry
I'm sorry....
I'm really really sorry
I just wanted you to come home
Safely...
Yo' dinner is still on the table..
Baby, I..
I love you so much.'