Walking the walk

I do this
For the seeds of
Black boy joy
Hidden in depression
Committed myself to the cause
In order to heal 
From my lessons

I do this 
For the kaleidoscope 
That’s black male masculinity
And in no absolutes 
I don’t compete against you
You 
Are 
My brother
And I love you

I do this 
For the barbershop chats
And Stephen A First Take debates
Like in the absence of social media
You can still see my face
Buried in book
Uncovering truths in the cemetery 
Speaking life to dry bones

I do this 
For the pusher turned user
And he still pushes in order to use
Lacking the vocabulary 
To voice his abuse
Cause little boys and grown men
get touched too  
But that’s taboo
But true and 
Who speaks for those dudes?

I do this 
Tainted with imperfections
That I didn’t want
Necessary evils to 
discern blessings
And hashtags and protest
Won’t profess the 
underlying symptoms to
Treat the disease of 
A legacy of broken fathers
And fractured identities
Untreated trauma
And lacking the necessities of
Basic human existence 

I do this
Because I won’t ask
About qualifications or degrees 
Only that if 
the pain is real
You can confide 
In someone like me
That looks like you

I really do this