The Tradition

by Jericho Brown

All land owned is land once stolen.

We do not recognize the body Of Emmett Till. We do not know The boy’s name nor the sound Of his mother wailing. We have Never heard a mother wailing. We do not know the history Of this nation in ourselves.

Scared to see a movie All the way through I got to scream each scene Duck and get down Mass shooting blues When you see me coming You see me running When you see me running You run too I don’t have kids Cuz I’d have to send them to school Ain’t that safe as any Plan for parenthood Mass shooting blues When you see me coming You see me running If you can beat a bullet You oughta run too