(For Henry Dumas)

It was a time
when a president,
a presidential candidate,
a Prince of Peace,
a Black knight in shining armor,
and Black Panthers,
were gunned down.

Assassinations with political ramifications.

But who’d think
that a poet
would be gunned down too?

This Bard was described
as an incredible artist,
someone who wrote
“the most beautiful,
moving and profound poetry.”

Poetry for My People

He was armed
with brilliance,
and magnetism.

Did this make him dangerous?

In “The Waking Dream”
he had a wise woman say:
“They kills em off
as fast as we can birth em.”

Assassinations with political ramifications.

Our Black Boys.
Our Native Sons.
Our Men-Children in the Promised Land.
Our Princes of Peace.
Our Black knights.
And our Black Panthers.
Black males who cried “I am!”

This was a time
of chickens coming home to roost,
of COINTELPRO,
and conspiracies.

Guess who’s not coming to dinner?

A precursor of many more killings by cops —
“justifiable homicides,” so we are told.

“They kills em off as fast as we can birth em.”

A promising poet,
armed with brilliance,
and magnetism.

Did this make him dangerous?

An innocent Black man.
A case of “mistaken identity.”
Shot dead by a white transit cop.

“These devils are devils and sons of devils.”

Maybe his words damned him.

This was a time
of chickens coming home to roost,
of COINTELPRO
and conspiracies.