Dreaming of Horror

A poem about the horror of racism

I had this dream of a frightening place

Where people are judged based just on their race

A young man convicted because he is black

Stood in front of a damning pack

 

Behind him another, older man sat

On his head was a strange white hat

Then again all his clothes were white

As were those of the men in my sight

 

But despite the screaming of the crowd

He didn’t even see remotely cowed

In fact he did not even look worried

Neither did he seem at all hurried

 

Ever so slowly he moved to stand

With a smiling face and a noose in his hand

The group cheered at the sight of the rope

And the man they condemned lost all signs of hope

 

I shut my eyes tight to escape from the dream

Hiding my eyes from the horrible scene

The disturbing cheering gave away to silence

I knew I had escaped this dream of violence

So I opened my eyes...

And hadn’t woke up