I have been writing poetry since I was about 5 or 6 years old. My mother taught me what a simile and metaphor was before I got into first grade, something she was very proud of. We didn't have a lot of money growing up, but we made up for it by enriching ourselves in education and culture, ha! This past July I was asked by the Maplewood Arts Council in NJ to share a poem on the Black Lives Movement for a special banner project. At that point, I had not written a poem in about two or three years! I waited until my family and I took a trip to West Dover, Vermont so that I could have peace of mind to actually write. I have always loved Japanese Haikus because of the challenge of the syllable limitations (5-7-5 per line) and the complex simplicity Haikus exude. As much as I have SO much to say on this topic (especially from a multigenerational trauma standpoint) and have a multitude of strong emotions about racism in America, it was overwhelming to try to put it into words for a poem. Ironically, being forced to write how I feel in less words made it bearable for me. Taking pictures of my poem on stage for all to see with my 6-year-old daughter was a special moment this month. The poem lives on Baker Street and you can read it below.
The Burden of Racism
A Haiku Series by Nubia DuVall Wilson
Uninformed fake truths
Your white fragility trumps
the plight of my skin.
Racism’s a choice,
the history goes back deep
Read. Learn. Change your mind.
Trauma’s in my blood,
centuries of plight leave scars.
We won’t stop screaming.
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