To My Kings in the Pen....

Walking through the jail today
sobered me. In many senses it humbled me
made me thankful for all of the decisions that
I didn't make, and the poor decisions that didn't have
such harsh consequences
I'm not going to lie, the buzzer made me feel sick
and the slam of the door shutting behind me scared me
But nothing was more intense than seeing the vast number of
beautiful Black brothers caged up like animals
happy to see the site of a Queen, happy to get
a whiff of the perfume arrays as we passed by
They craved
But they didn't crave us, we were a representaiton
of their freedom---the freedom to speak and be spoken to
the freedom to touch and be touched
the freedom to love and be loved
the freedom to make love
just----the freedom.
I don't know how many times he asked if I was ok
I guess he could see it in my face, feel it in my aura
a man shall be free unless he is duly convicted by law
then he shall be a slave--property of the state
stripped of his freedom and all that makes him a man
his ability to provide, his ability to protect, his ability to procreate
to be husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, friends
To my Kings in the pen
I couldn't tell you then,
but I love you and pray that in the quiet moments
or even in the midst of the chaos that is
that you find strength to seek meaning to your situation
and then knowledge, wisdom, and understanding
to how you are being used against your selves and against your own
and that you will find the strength and support you need to be free
in your mind
stay free in your body
and live free for the rest of your days.