š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜ š–†š–‡š–˜

Brother, we are here

ā† Go Back

I cried in the shower
for the third time today.
I know the knife is at
their
throats.
Again.
.
The ones who taught me
to show my neck to God,
and cry, God,
where are you?
.
Those Black Poets
in the distance
like Stars
singing melodies so sweet
from so long ago
that it got here
from the other side of the moon
where Whitey plays cards
everyday
.
I feel myself
remove my mask to my god
whatever it is
Like the memory of butter
in My Mother’s cooking
.
To the one who traded places with me without a why or how
then maybe our mothers our are only gods
the more we forsake them
we forsake God
maybe our gods are women
within their pleasure, within their body
they do not ever reject you
and how?
no matter the distance in your intimacy
they remain
year after year
day after day
with us
.
while our boy
was playing in awe and wonder
we know the day comes
where he must face his pain
his wrongdoings
his smallness
that ant is dead son
“You killed it.”
.
These are the days though
that we touch our brother’s cheeks
and say, “IĀ  miss my mother too.”
“I miss the weight of love for everything and everyone”
.
Oh brother
we know the taste of being there
within any battle
on any land
after great distances between you and i
we are here together
like our two ancestors
by the railroads
listening to the American pines
whistle a song about Home
and it was the same for us both
Home
.
Yes, brother I am here too.


ABDULMONAM EASSA FOR LE MONDE
World Press Photo 2026: Abdulmonam Eassa honored for his coverage of the war in Sudan for Le Monde


Railroad Workers #3 is a photograph by Underwood Archives

Full Show: Facing Evil With Maya Angelou

https://www.netflix.com/title/82020378

April 19, 2026

arden briar smith