Melissa McEwen : Mom Waiting for the Bus on the Corner of Pavillion and Main
Melissa McEwen
Mom Waiting for the Bus on the Corner of Pavillion and Main
“Why you always gotta be so mad?
I got a lot to be mad about…”
Though her insides are cotton
soft like the summer dress she’s wearing
she can’t be all-the-way tender or all-the-way happy
because her babies were born black and male, with skin
soft like the summer dress she’s wearing.
She knows the world won’t see them, love them like she does
because her babies were born black and male with skin
people will always see first. Black before human.
She knows the world won’t see them, love them like she does.
She knows the outcome:
people will always see first---- black before human.
She prays hard and turns down the sound when the news is on.
She knows the outcome.
She’s tired of hearing that another black boy was shot.
She prays hard and turns down the sound when the news is on.
Her friend just told her a boy was shot on Bedford.
She’s tired of hearing that another black boy was shot
by police or in a drive-by or stabbed over something stupid.
Her friend just told her a boy was shot on Bedford.
It’s no wonder why she’s mad. Black boys are shot
by police or in a drive-by or stabbed over something stupid.
She can’t be all-the-way tender or all-the-way happy.
It’s no wonder why she’s mad (black boys are shot)
though her insides are cotton.
