Forever, Alleluia

despite being a bridge

between cultures

a monster

even on my best behavior

and a person not understood by many

I will not stop singing

I sing Alleluia, forever

this Black girl joy

Black boy joy

Black joy

cannot be contained.

I sing Alleluia, forever

as hard as the world has tried

as hard as the world still tries

we are not going anywhere

I sing Alleluia, forever 

when everything is said and done

when the cops

politicians

and prisons 

have done their best to break us

I will still sing

I sing Alleluia, forever

we bend

we tremble

we sway 

and we buckle

but we are not defeated

I sing Alleluia, forever.

at the end of the day

I sing praise for this skin that wraps me up 

and keeps my magic close. 

For this skin that carries our magic:

I sing and I dance

and I love and laugh.

I sing Alleluia, forever.

Forever

32/53