THE GUTTER IS WHERE I STAND, THE PROMISE LAND IS WHERE I STRIVE TO BE

WITH A MIND FULL OF HOPES AND DREAMS

THAT I WANT TO MAKE REAL AND NOT JUST FANTASY

MY FOREFATHERS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., MALCOLM X, KWAME NKRUMAH AND JERRY RAWLINGS, DECADES AGO FOUGHT FOR MY PEOPLE AND ME

BUT ALL I SEE IN THE STREETS IS THUGGERY AND GREED

EVEN IF I CAN’T SAVE ALL MY PEOPLE

I WILL MAKE SURE MY FOUR FATHERS DREAMS LIVE THROUGH ME

WE HAVE COME FROM THE SLAVE HOUSE, THE COLONIAL MASTER’S HOUSE, THE CRACKHOUSE AND NOW THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE

AND STILL I GET PROFILED BY COPS AND SECURITY WHEN I LEAVE MY HOUSE

EVEN THOUGH I WORK SMART AND STUDY LIKE AN INTELLECTUAL SPARTAN, YET SOCIETY STILL LOOKS AT ME JUST LIKE ANOTHER TRAYVON MARTIN

JUST LOOKING FOR ANOTHER BLACK MAN TO SHOOT, WALKING WHILE BLACK I GUESS WILL BE THEIR EXCUSE!

-LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
AMERICA: DIVIDED WE STAND? ! A COLLECTION OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL POETRY
NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON KINDLE