Black Child

A Black Child's Life Born where thunder hugs the skies, And cries are swallowed by lullabies. Where skin is marked before the name, And innocence wears chains of blame. Eyes too young to know the cost, Of history written in blood and loss. Taught to smile through silent fear, Taught to shrink when justice nears. A toy becomes a threat too fast, Their future shackled to the past. Each dream questioned, voice dismissed, Each triumph met with iron fists. They dance in storms, laugh through pain, Chasing joy beneath the rain. Yet every step is watched, defined A story rewritten, re-assigned. But oh, the fire in that gaze, The kind that won't be caged or swayed. A spirit carved from deepest roots, In soil soaked rich with truth. Still they rise, a marching song, In a world that’s told them they don’t belong. A child, not threat. A soul, not sin. Let the world be shaken Let healing begin. —Jalilah Usna ✍🏽🖤