Black Lives Blacks Matter
By Dr. Maru Colbert
We were here before the captors
First nation, then second and third
Blood of my ancestors
Screamin’ to be heard
Built walls around us
A people a race
The back of the bus
Really? Say it to my face
Those walls became prisons
The schools a pipeline
The depraved acts, killing black ones
Defining a new underground mine
Deep in the earth, but God, we thank
For tides that are turning
“At last” as Etta sang with her “stank”
Mississippi may have guests as she’s burning
Crowds are gathering, protests forming
Some of them have lots of you
Many nations are stirred and storming
Justice! from mouths of every hue
Black Lives Matter! Just like yours
Not 3/5 but all, the entire Black being
Tell it from mountaintops to valley floors
Yes, those are multitudes you’re seeing
Declaring “no justice, no peace”
Equality for All!
White supremacy in any form must cease!
Is the final, clarion call
To all who will listen, fight and defend
The founding premise of this nation
False ideas and doctrines apprehend
Dispose of them in full narration
Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”
Is an anthem and directive
We will battle each and every hour
No more denigration or invective
We’ve come together, to overcome
By any and all means necessary
Know, all lives matter, not just some
This is a truth, that in life, won’t vary
About the Poet
Maru Colbert is an engineering professor and performance artist. She runs a cultural arts company and contributes to both technical and dramatic projects worldwide. Her spoken, written and choreographed works have been featured in performances in cities nationwide including Denver, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit and Boston. When asked about her motivation she responded “she writes what her soul releases…lately, it has been crying out”!
About the Artist
The illustrations of Sydney Rose Gauthier have a personality of their own. Through hand-me-down acrylics, forgotten crayons, and paper scraps from the recycling, they piece together each work with the utmost care. Each illustration embodies its own unique conversation starter, ranging between political commentary, body image, environmentalism, emotional matters, and sometimes a toad in stilettos. Through the strong use of value, striking color pallets, and compositions that move your eye in an infinite loop around the page, Sydney captivates the viewer. Their art will hypnotize you into hearing their message, yet keep each piece open-ended and available for the start to spark conversation.