Not My Independence Day
An ode to the 4th
They said freedom day was the Fourth of July. Why did you lie?
July 4th 1776 was freedom for some but not all.
My black skin wasn’t free under those fifty stars hanging on the wall.
On that hot summer night when the fireworks rang.
Every black man, woman and child was in chains.
I wonder why those fifty stars on the flag didn’t free me.
Was my flesh too dark for lady liberty to see me?
Now the painful truth is coming out and getting told off.
America beat Europe while Blacks got beaten, raped and sold off.
Maybe America’s victory just arrived too soon.
My freedom wouldn’t come until almost 100 years later in June.
I’m not here to spoil the fun I’m just here to say. July 4th is not my Independence Day.
About the Creator
Joe Patterson
Hi I'm Joe Patterson. I am a writer at heart who is a big geek for film, music, and literature, which have all inspired me to be a writer. I rap, write stories both short and long, and I'm also aspiring to be an author and a filmmaker.
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Comments (2)
Great piece, Joe..been thinking about these things all day.
So poignant, Joe! x