THE CHAINS

Chains, heavy and unyielding

Symbolic of the weight of systemic racism

That to some degree crushes us all, but especially those

Whose skin is dark and whose culture is marginalized

We are bound by these chains

Even when we don't see them

They constrict our movements

Limit our opportunities

And remind us of the ways in which we are different

In a world that claims to value diversity

These chains were forged long ago

In the fires of prejudice and hate

And they continue to tighten

With each generation that suffers their weight

We see the effects of these chains

In the inequities of our society

In the way that black women

Are paid less than their white counterparts

In the way that our communities

Are over-policed and under-resourced

We feel the effects of these chains

In the way that our bodies are scrutinized

In the way that our hair is policed

In the way that our voices are silenced

Holding another in captivity is a grave injustice

And it echoes the insidiousness of systemic racism

Forcing one to bear the burden of another's power

Is a reflection of the privilege and entitlement that devour

But we are not defeated by these chains

For we are strong and resilient

We are powerful and determined

And we know we must continue to fight

For the freedom that from creation has rightfully been ours

We must fight against this oppression and domination

For the freedom of all is a sacred obligation

With the power of our voices, we must shatter the chains

That bind us to the legacy of our ancestors' pains

With the strength of our unity and the wisdom of the past

We must forge a new future where equality will last

And rise above the weight of systemic racism

To claim our rightful place in a world that's not factionalism

For these chains do not define us, nor limit our worth

For even in chains, it can by all who have eyes, we are the greatest on Earth.