By Sheniz Janmohamed
(Sheniz Janmohamed is a Canada based artist. Her website is http://www.ignite-poets.20m.com/ Ed.)
My people killing my people
My people killing my people
My people killing me
The shadows approached me
And told me to take their hands
That they would lead me to the Promised Land
And when we reached the valley of unbearable sighs
I realized
They had told me lies
The bombs blew up inside of me/cause I was too blind to see/that they used pain /to gain my loyalty/ far from my dreams to be free/they sat me down/stole my crown/and tortured me/the very people who said they’d save me/the very people who opened the door/threw out the keys
My people killing my people
My people killing my people
My people killing me
And as I stood on the shores and spoke back/they tore out my heart and continued the attack/and now for my words they’ve thrown me in jail/slapped, stamped, silenced/convicted with no bail
They say I’ve betrayed their trust/and killing their own is just?/speaking on behalf of the Book/by killing a child without a second look?/and so I said to them/you can’t break me/you can’t shake me/you may take me/and rape me/to silence me/but I continue to speak/You are not the strong/I am not the weak/
My people killing my people
My people killing my people
My people killing me
They think that they are the predators/but they’re really the prey/and the day will come/for them to face/all the souls they’ve killed in this place
The time has come
Do you see them coming?
I hear the footsteps
But I do not fear
I hear the screams
But I do not fear
For I know
My words will echo in the newborn’s ear
Any last words before we shoot you in the head?
You may kill me
but I refuse to be dead.
© Sheniz Janmohamed
And now watch Sheniz Janmohamed reciting her poem “My People Killing My people”
the poem