This Having To Carry The Load Of Their Blackness, It Weighs Them Down

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โ€œBackpacks

When black boys are born
We mothers kiss their faces
Twirl our fingers in their curls
Put them in carriers on our chest
Show them to the world
Our tiny black princes

And when they start school
As early as 3
We mothers
Place huge back packs on their backs
And we slowly fill them with bricks
Etched with tools
Tattooed with truths
Hoping to save them
Donโ€™t talk back
Donโ€™t get angry
Say yes maโ€™am
Say no sir
Donโ€™t fight
Even if they hit you first
Especially if they are white
Do your best
Better than best
Be still
Work your hardest
BRICK

they get a little older
And we add more

Keep your hands out of your pockets
Donโ€™t look them in the eye
Donโ€™t challenge
Donโ€™t put your manhood before your life
Just get home safe
Donโ€™t walk alone
Donโ€™t walk with too many boys
Donโ€™t walk towards police
Donโ€™t walk away from police
Donโ€™t buy candy or iced tea
Donโ€™t put your hood up
Iโ€™ll drive you
Iโ€™ll pick you up
You canโ€™t be free
Donโ€™t go wandering
Come home to me
BRICK

They get a little older
And we add more

Understand you are a threat
Standing still
Breathing
Your degrees are not a shield
Your job is not a shield
Your salary makes you a target
Your car makes you a target
Your nice house in a nice neighborhood
Makes you a target
Donโ€™t put your ego before your safety
Donโ€™t talk back
Donโ€™t look them in the eye
Get home to your wife
Your son
BRICK

They weigh them down.
This knowing
Of having to carry the load
Of their blackness

the world hasnโ€™t changed
The straps just dig deeper into their skin
Their backs ache
But their souls donโ€™t break
Our beautiful black men

When you say to me
#AllLivesMatter
I simply ask
Will your son die
At a traffic stop
Will your son die
For a 20-dollar bill
Will your son die with the a knee
on his neck
Mine haveโ€

This poem was submitted toโ€ฏLove What Mattersโ€ฏby Leslรฉ Honorรฉ. You can follow her journey on Facebook and her website. Submit your own storyโ€ฏhereand be sure toโ€ฏsubscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, andโ€ฏYouTube for our best videos.

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โ€˜Are YOU okay, maโ€™am?โ€™ The officer was staring at my passenger, my 15-year-old son. Her hand shot right back on her gun.โ€™: Mom speaks out about racism against son, โ€˜My skin protected himโ€™

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