( I am a 71-year old White, Italian American man, and I am a Jew. I am also a Black man, and the father of all children being beaten, killed or incarcerated because of the color of their skin, or their faith. We are all part of the human family; they are all my children. They are my flesh and blood, and my soul. I dedicated this poem to them, and to all of us.)
Black man, Black man
Dead man, Jew —
Look at what
They’ve done to you.
Chains and ropes,
Gas and slaughter —
To your sons,
To your daughters.
Black man, Black man
Dead man, Jew —
Marched toward graves
Two-by-two.
Skin and Faith,
Fear and Lies,
Murder, torture
Puff killers size.
Bullets in spines,
Knees on throats —
Laws deny you
Life and votes.
Black man, Black man
Dead man, Jew —
Nuremberg & Jim Crow
Trap you, crush you
Blow-by-blow.
Black man, Black man
Dead Man, Jew —
How do you take it?
When’s justice due?
Why do you pray?
Why do you stay?
Didn’t Warsaw
Point the way?
Beat you, kill you,
Still, you rise.
What do you see,
That escapes dead eyes?
Black man, Black man,
Dead man, Jew —
Hope, inspires
Life to you.