It's Raining over here...

The Climate

It's Raining over here...

The Climate

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m telling you it’s raining over here.

They say “Dress for the party. It’s all the way live”.
But there’s no party in here,
Someone all the way lied.

Someone’s all the way lying,
not telling the truth.
I can see it and feel it,
in this life lies the proof.

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m telling you it’s raining over here.

“We’re post-rain now.
There’s no reason to hide. 

There’s no reason to cry. (out)
All is well, all is fine”.

Fine

It’s said with a smile (ouch)
Sometimes with a handshake
Yesterday with a hug
A well-intentioned falsehood

Fine

Fine says to be quiet.
Fine says to stay silent.
“Let’s not live in the past, today is here for us to seize”.

And of today’s plight?
“Keep the conversation light.
Let’s not disrupt this harmony
we’ve worked so hard to build”.

(pats on the back)

“So have fun at this party.
There’s no reason to cry. (out)
We’re post rain now. All is well all is fine”.
(Ouch)

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m telling you it’s raining over here.

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Now I used to hear tell,
of a magical umbrella
whose powers could protect,
its users from the rain.

And anyone who wielded,
a magical umbrella
could have countless rewards, power and fame.

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m telling you it’s raining over here.

In class teacher would say,
“You do well in these courses.
Perform well in these courses.
Your reward’s at the end”.

Teacher had an umbrella,
and said it was well-known
those who finished these courses,
an umbrella they’d own.

I learned well in those courses,
performed well in those courses,
but when I reached the end,
my umbrella had holes.

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m serious it’s raining over here.

Now I used to hear tell,
of a magical umbrella
whose powers could protect
its users from the rain.

And anyone who had
a magical umbrella,
could live recognized
as a human being.

I’ve been warned

“You should be more like
the makers of the rain.
You’ll move up the ranks,
have an easier life”.

“You won’t get that umbrella but it’s the next best thing.
The crumbs taste pretty good,
with some seasoning”.

“But the price of admission is to close your eyes (mind)
suppress what’s inside.
All is good all is fine”
.

Fine?

Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m serious it’s raining over here.

Land of the free, home of the brave.
Hotdogs at sporting events as blue angels fly over stadiums.

Land of the free, home of the brave.
Young man
gunned down
no umbrella
wrong town.

It’s raining

Land of the free, home of the brave
quiet streets,
two-car garages,
stands with lemonade

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Land of the free, home of the brave
Innocent executed
exonerated by DNA
(posthumously of course)

Rain

Land of the free, home of the brave.
Stories of heroes,
inventors
and conquerors.

Land of the free, home of the brave.
Watered-down accounts
of colonialism,
and the slave trade.

 Although they tell me different,
I can see it and feel it.
Man I’m telling you it’s raining over here.

Yeah it’s raining alright
but not the rain that brings life.
This kind of rain stems from sickness
and misguided wisdom.

This rain seems fictitious in its physical sense
but it’s power has robbed many of their physical-ness.

“All’s not well all’s not fine”
say those whose lives are dismissed.

The first step to stop this rain is to acknowledge it exists

It is then and only then can we take steps to really change

The Climate

Ubuntu,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW

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Written by

I'm a Social Justice Educator and Aspiring Humanitarian who is interested in conflict resolution, improving intergroup relations, and building more equitable and inclusive communities. "Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian" is my blog, where I write about issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. By exploring social identities through written word, film & video, and other forms of media, I hope to continue to expand and enrich conversations about social issues that face our society, and to find ways to take social action while encouraging others to do so as well in their own ways.

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4 Responses

  1. tunisiajolyn84 says:

    I love this poem! I love the rhythm of it. It kinda reminds me of Langston Hughes a bit. It has a Harlem Renaissance vibe to it. And this line is perfect: “The crumbs taste pretty good, with some seasoning” There’s a poem I have with a similar message that you may be interested in reading. It’s in my Life In Technicolor Vol. 2: WAR ebook. You can find it here: http://www.tunisiajolyn.com/projects/ It’s on page 9. If you read it, let me know what you think! :)

    • I’m glad you like it, and am more than honored to even be mentioned in the same sentence as the great Langston Hughes. I really appreciated reading your poem, and the line “just want my 2 options in governmental debates focus on the issues of the day during the big election seasons” really resonated with me, mostly because sometimes it seems as if the only time real focus is spent on the issues that are happening today from the perspective of leadership is around election time. I’ll be checking out some of your other projects too. Thank you for sharing your link!

  1. June 15, 2017

    […] of these examples and others like them fail to acknowledge the climate of workplaces and other organizations remain hostile to Black people in ways that not only impact […]

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