Generation of Rehabilitation

at times, i reach out to what my mind knows as a void

with wandering eyes and an uncontrolled mind

feeling like my identity curiosity is a crime- criminally derived from the culture of misunderstanding my culture

i often find myself reflecting all the greats before me,

for what they have sacrificed to leave an impact on me

to be born from the beauty of mother Africa,

and bonded by the DNA and strength of survivors,

then taken to the world of the unknown, unwillingly

Is to see and experience life in its heinous ways

undeservingly, yet strongly, those before me lived, and led,

to help me learn

and gave me something more than just opportunity: a sense of community.

so while i struggle to pinpoint on the map exactly where i am from, or understand how the word culture impacts me,

i honor my heritage and identity

many greats came before me today

and i am here to say

that myself, and many others are one of them.

to honor the blood shed before me,

i work towards a newly-defined “free”

to continue on, and uphold their legacy

in the generation of rehabilitation