I’ve always wanted to be a mermaid.
Not for the sexy, mystical persona,
The slim figure sunbathing on a rock, nah,
I want to be a mermaid for the tail.
I want to swim into the waters that swallowed
My ancestors, feel my beautiful glistening tail
Power through the waves, go back
Through time, meet all of those who left too soon.
I imagine when we die
the earth enveloped us back
In its arms it made us mermaids,
Ethereal and magical.
I want to delve deep into the waters
That we call home,
Swim up to Emmett Till as he was
Before the lynching, a gorgeous black
Boy with a tail that matched the color
Of the autumn leaves.
He’d welcome me home with the sun in his smile,
Ask if the world is better now.
How do I tell a boy who died in 1955
The trees still seep our blood,
That we’re in a losing race with bullets?
We’d swim together, water particles
Brushing our skin like we’re kindred spirits,
He’d show me the family I’ve never known.
I’d play messenger for the unarmed black boys
Who want to tell their families they’re okay,
Now, there’s no to worry for our safety because
Who would shoot a mermaid?
I can’t look at the water
Without seeing the ships, they’re calling me home, waiting to welcome me with open arms.
What can I say, I’ve always wanted to be a mermaid.
