Oh Racism


I stroll 
down the streets of  Swellendam
 you  are nowhere to be found
 until I walk into the restaurant 
hunger shutting my eyes to see
 no black people in here
I sit and wait, and wait
to be attended to, all  waiters
ignoring my call, my signaling
comes the manager saying
“ we  do not serve your kind here”
I look all around me and
find the absence of  diversity
starring back at me
 I laugh and say, “Oh there you are”
“Racism, there you are”
 “long time no see”

As I introduce myself
to class and mention
I am African, Liberian
somebody snickers
 silent whispers of “Ebola”
for a minute I thought I was free
of you, a whole day in different
classes and you do not show
as those words were muttered
 I laughed
and said “oh there you are racism”
“Long time no see”


Oh racism you hide
but I see you as I am
stopped and questioned
 by the law wanting to know
why I jog  the streets of Ferguson
“Because I am black?”
for an hour  you do not  show
I sigh and look up to heaven and wonder
when will I die and leave this earth
where to be black is nothing but a crime
I laugh as they cuffed me and said
“Oh racism there you are”
“Long time no see”





This poem was inspired by specific areas in the world that people still suffer racism; by people who experience racism ; by those who died in the hands of racist. 

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