THE FRONTLINE

THE FRONTLINE
A Poem by Rene Velez

I'm still waiting for that hug from my dad
and the "I love you" but it won't pass
because he's past on, life doesn't last long
and so I wait, hiding these emotions
with my poker face, a gift from the ghetto
and the language of a swearing sailor,

I carry my thoughts in a knapsack
filled with burdens and failures
but I bet most black men feel like me
with a fight or flight response,
my chances are between one in three
honestly, we have polls in the hood
thanks to the media like FOX News,
according to them, even in Jordan's
I'm in some fucked up shoes,
it's my prearranged marriage with
America and the boys in blue.

So I walk the city streets bobbing my head
to my freedom tunes stored on my Ipod,
downloaded from Itunes,
checking my nine and three O'clock
at all times with an invisible sign
on my back that says:

"BECAUSE OF MY COLOR
I AM GUILTY OF THE CRIME"

As they entertain their horrors
of the black man taking over
but the reality colder because
it's fueled by hate...Oh wait !!
have you seen the movie,

Rise of the planet of the apes?

© 2011 Rene Velez

Author's Note

It may come off a bit angry but I'm not, just the perspective of someone growing up in Harlem..

Reviews

[biggerthenu]

I don't see anything to be apologetic about in this piece its filled with truth beyond means and whats so crazy no one ever wants to stand on the frontline of war but have you seen the trailer of rise of the apes fo real i feel ya its more then words!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joshua deathdealer]

This is an excellent write. The first nine or so lines were very touching.

[C. Harter Amos]

Filled with a lot of truth and consequences. I thought the heart of the piece (besides the invisible sign) was:
"...it's my prearranged marriage with America
but rogue cops, upfront and personal
is just a bit more scarier,
with their sirens and red and white flashes
the first in a future of revolutionary barriers..."
The very front lines of the war here at home. Really well written and throws a solid punch in just the right way.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A love this piece, short and to the point, a masterpiece in few words, the lines are stripped raw of over worded phrases, the one thing i would change my darling is "IM GULITY OF A CRIME" to "IM GUILTY OF THE CRIME".

[brenda]

yyeah! why are people so mean nice poem rene !:)

[Coyote Poetry]

I love history. I was a Soldier. Soldiers were the first men learn to work and live together no matter what the color was or belief. The problem is the same today as 40 years ago. In Detroit the school system books are out of date. They have no funds or computers. The surrounding counties are wealthy and the education offered is better. How can the poor people get better when education is not equal. Time for the USA to caught up with the world. Every child need the same opportunity and education need to be available. My Ojibwa/Mexican father told me. "You will get educated. You won't allow anyone to look down at you." Our Father's lived a hard life. Kids of today need to demand their rights. Many good men and woman pay with their dreams and life to insure the world can be fair. Your poem is powerful. I tell the kids. "Education, education and more education. Allow no-one to knock down a race for lack of education." Thank you for a excellent poem.
Coyote

[MS. BABy]

I carry my thoughts
in a knapsack filled with
burdens and failures
but I bet most black men
feel like me
with a fight or flight
response...

I loved this verse...I am so loveing ur writing...

[Aidz]

Expressed with the words of someone who is walking in those shoes.... thanks for the insight Rene

[Shante Payne]

I can't find the anger in this at all...it is the story of the everyday black man growing up in the ghetto. I can relate to this and I'm sure others can as well...great write.