Afraid

Afraid to walk down the streets at night

Afraid that as a women I'll have no rights

Afraid that today might be my last

Afraid my niece will be a slave

My fears

They never go away

Afraid my child will lose their innocence

That they'll become an adult way too soon

Why am I feeling this way?

Why is my head filling with all these nightmares

Afraid of another civil war

Afraid of the people that walk by

Afraid of the humans in white

Afraid of sitting on the bus

Why am I so afraid?

Afraid my nephew will be to scared to speak up

Afraid that my duty won't be fulfilled

99 years since we were brought together

Half a century since we were set free

Yet it doesn't feel that way

Afraid to show my culture

Afraid to wear my cross

Afraid to be me

Afraid of the world around me

And what it'll be come

But for now I'll try to forget

And focus on my family

Yet the thoughts won't go away

They stay and invade

Like soldiers on a battlefield

Afraid of the tears I'll shed

Afraid of the bones I'll break

Afraid of the things I'll do

To keep my loved ones safe

I pray and I pray

Will they just go away?

Afraid they'll come to my door

And ship me away

Afraid they'll handcuff my hands

When I refuse

Afraid of a 4x4 cell

STOP!! STOP!!

My hearts hurts

I cover my ears

GO AWAY!!

GO AWAY!!

I yell and scream

Yet they still come

Everyday

No matter how hard I try

To make them go away

These thoughts inside my mind