By Mick Hunt

The following poem is best experienced by watching the video.  Listen, watch, read.  It’s powerful.

Civil War
Written and performed by Shawn Welcome

1861. Musket, rifles with miniball bullets blast across the Mason-Dixon line, from both sides. Bayonets in my neighbor’s neck if they’re close enough, gun-smoke and tensions in the air, this won’t end for another four years. The American Civil War, a bloody conflict within the same nation. On the backs of Blacks was built the wealthiest. Lincoln had no use for these slave trades. He had more honorable ways of being successful. The Confederate South couldn’t stand it and a house divided against itself, can’t anyway.

Firearms changed everything.

Slave ships were packed and hearts were hardened, never asked to be here, how unfair that we’re the problem. Never asked to be here, how unfair that they’re the problem.

All in the name of freedom.

Party like a rock-star while little ones are dying. Silent screams from injected saline and dreams you will never hear because little lungs were punctured before they could fully function. Who will be a voice for the voiceless?

The abolitionists.

How many freight trains of injustice will roll by behind church buildings while service inside sings louder? Hands in the air, pump up the volume, bass, kick, snare, drowning out the rumblings of oppression. No formal funerals, nor miniature caskets, only the likes of medical waste to management tell me “how many pounds of flesh do you pick up for profit?”

And when will that wait begin to weigh down on your conscience?

Jim Jones, no thanks. You can keep your kool-aid.

This sugar coated genocide is sponsored by media, abortion pills, birth control, control the growth, convince them to commit cultural suicide. Not televised, and the Hill’s killer number one among African-Americans is done by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Music soft, white coats. Put them on, take them off. How much does it cost to ignore the exotic white tiger in the bathroom? Or, are we too hung over to pick up the phone. “I know you don’t want to go through with this, but are these counselors counseling, or selling a service?”

Tell me, who’s going to sue an abortionist for malpractice if the purpose is to keep it under hush. If they don’t care about your baby, they don’t care about your body. This is called “making it rain under the umbrella of womens’ health.”

Fifty dollar bills are filled with the faces of Ulysses S. Grant, who led the Union army into victory. Cash wins again and still rules everything around me. Methods of man are like Hulk, busting from the seams with all green. And if they could put a tax on crack, you will find it at your local Walgreens.

Trust me.

We take less than 2% of the cases, rape, incest and life on the line to justify the 99. Reckless, who occupy all streets.

Listen, men and women need higher standards and better judgement. On my wish list. But hurt people, hurt people. This all boils down to forgiveness. Where’s the humility? Daddies running away like slaves from the so-called shackles and chains of responsibility

Meanwhile, Mommy wants to secede from this union, and it only ends in bloodshed. History repeats itself. The new civil war where African Americans are still on the front lines. No jury. Dying for the same reasons. They’re not human, fully. Slavery wouldn’t have ended if it depended on quiet. Folks willing to take a bullet to the head and some riots, and I’m all for non-violence because words can change trends, but worse than words from my enemies is the silence from my friends.

 Author Notes:

1. I transcribed the words from the video, so it’s not arranged on the page like Mr. Welcome would.  If you want to see brief commentary on the poem by Dr. Alveda King, go here.  The video is a promotional for Stand4Life.
2. This is another, different performance of the poem.
3. Please visit Shawn Welcome’s website, where you can find recordings of other of his poems.  Mr. Welcome is available to speak to groups.

Mick Hunt (Meredith Eugene Hunt) is a FAB contributor.  He has helped organize more than 50 Genocide Awareness Projects (GAPs) all over the southeast and elsewhere.