Say Their Name Poem by sydney conteh

Say their name as if it is hot coal in your mouth
Let their name burn your tongue and throat
Causing words that will flow like lava out of your mouth
maybe that why its called burning rage

To a family member mourning the loss of a loved one
Due to racism
It is easy to speak with angry, barbed words
Imagine how hard it is to hold back the lava
Their throats must be so damaged
Maybe that's why some black parents stay quiet
Self-torture or becoming the one doing the torture
What a decision to make

But, this poem is not for grieving
It is for the people who try to grieve, but do not know how to
As they do not know what the blade feels like
When pressed close to the skin
They can imagine it
They can only imagine racism pressed on their skin
But, they will never feel the daily killings it inflicts every day

To these people
Firstly, thank you for trying to understand
Secondly, do not say their names as if it was a feather
That will be lifted by the winds of time, never to be seen
As I have seen a lot of feathers
All followed with the words R.I.P, insert black person here

R.I.P is just another rip on black skin
Rips that bleed, gushing so much trauma
The ground must weep, when under black skin
The clouds must shudder when haloing themselves over black skin
The planets bow in pain
Nectar tears fall onto receptive soil, while petals hide their color
When black skin walks by
R.I.P is just a knife that nature wishes it could remove from human hands


So, please
Please
Do not say R.I.P
Say justice for insert black person here
Say it as if it was hot coal in your mouth
Let the black lives lost over many years, burn your tongue and throat
Speak their name with rage
Like a grieving parent would do

When you do that
Only then you will give the name
The justice it deserves