BLUE HEAT

After Korlah Camille Kafele's post on Facebook:

"Brothas...
Get those engines checked when the light comes on...
Don't procrastinate that tune-up on that truck...
Keep oil in your car and air in your tires...

We need you to make it home...

#terrencecrutcher"

Black men

We need you

We need you to make it

Through these unpromised days

With ease

Smiles on your faces

Goals on your minds

Plans for achievement

In the forefront

Your mental strong

Your will impenetrable

Pushing you to see the light

Be the light

At the end of a tunnel

Filled with

Tricks

Traps

Detours

Injustice

Treacherous heat

In your face

On your back

And I don’t mean the sun

You already know

This kind

Far too well

That Blue Heat

Oppressive 

Toxic

Ill-equipped

To replenish

Nourish

Comfort

Your black skin

Only warmth

You'll ever get

From this heat

Is that

Of your freshly drained blood

As it rivers

From bullet wounds

Drips

From your pounds

Of innocent flesh

Like tears

Pools remorsefully

Around your

Hands-were-up

Mouth-was-closed

Full-compliance

Body

Soaks up your soul

Yes

This is

A sob story

Colorful

Unpretty

A black

Blue

And red story

About how

Every day

No matter how well

You protect yourself

Your armor

Is moot

How

Whenever you make a move

Outside your four walls

It’s clear

That the game

Is rigged

The rules are skewed

You have no control

Over your opponent

Your life

And it’s never really

Your move

Yet it seems like

It’s

Always

Your

Time

We will

Say its name
Blue Heat

Like it keeps forcing us

To say the names

Of all your fallen brothers

Hold it accountable

Shelter you from its wrath

The best we can

Never cease attempting

To extinguish

Its blaze

Black men

We need you

We need you to make it

Home

From these dubious days

Off the game board

Into our arms

Without getting burned

©2016 Charlene E. Green