Black Exhaustion.

Black exhaustion...

it's bruised ankles and wrists, scarred backs and hanging necks. 

Black exhaustion, it's the dream of freedom and the reality of bondage.                               

Black exhaustion, It's the comfort of a trusted ally and the disappointment of a privileged and equally ignorant associate.  

Black exhaustion, It's systematic oppression, It's police brutality, It's the runaway slave patrol, It's full prisons and empty schools.   

Black Exhaustion, It's searching for God in the eyes of hateful men, It's praying for peace in a country set on your demise, It's fighting for an inch and being accused of wanting a mile.   

Black exhaustion, It's white friends uncomfortable with a shirt that says "black lives matter," but don't think twice about seeing head lines that read "Black life taken."        

Black Exhaustion, It's reinstated with every video and a report of a brother or a sister being gunned down, It's mocked with each announcement of acquittal or the dropping of charges.   

Black Exhaustion, It's understood by every person of color, those that are brown enough to be hated or different enough to be feared. 

Black Exhaustion, It's being told that "It wasn't racism," and feelings not being validated. It's political analysts saying Nigger on their fully funded shows and the conversation being, "Well why can they say it and I can't?"  

It's the precursor to resilience. The darkness of the womb before the birth of strong communities.   It's the reasons behind 'Yes we can' and 'I'm not your negro.' It's injustice at it's worst and innovation, courage and The will to fight at it's best.        

It's a reoccurring sentence in our book but won't be our entire story.      

Black Exhaustion.