Michael Jackson was right:
It don’t matter if you’re black or white
Because
They don’t really care about us.
I would like to ask Michael: who’s they?
It’s a pronoun without an antecedent.
Whoever they are, I know they aren’t kids.
Some say children understand
How to be human better than adults.
Unfamiliar kids tend to smile and wave at me
When I’m scowling at the floor.
Babies grab my pants leg, and
I imagine them singing in
Sam Cooke’s voice:
If I can just touch the hem of His garment
I know I’ll be made whole.
I worry that child will mature
Into an Artful Dodger or
Inmate number 065729.
I recognize deft fingers when I see them.
If the child grows up to sell volcano insurance
To elderly couples in Boston, or make a hobby
Out of beating up homeless people,
You have to blame the parents, right?
Mother Nature birthed us.
Father Time rears us.
Life gives us a great education.
The tuition is costly (read: everything).
I’ll sing this song to the planet,
Strumming on a wooden harp
With strings made from cat guts.
Don’t be appalled; don’t you know
Something or someone has to die
Before the music can be heard?
Copyright 2011 by A. Jarrell Hayes
Unpublished
Powerful write. This flows well and hits hard. Great struff.
I’m glad you like the flow.
excellent write man…great musical ref and a great wrap around in the end…this is tight…i like it…
Thanks, Brian. This piece is longer than most of my poems.
This is one of the best poems I’ve read in a while. The solid lines throughout really blend well into one larger piece – the flow is amazing, and I really like what you do with the idea of music (from the Michael Jackson/Sam Cooke quotes, to the harp at the end) to accentuate all that. That last stanza in particular is just brilliant. Great poem, I look forward to reading more!
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the piece. I love music, not just for it’s own merits, but how it becomes intertwined with life and memories. At least 3 times a day I or someone I’m interacting with will say or do something that will make me think of a song. Thanks again for the comment.