Would You?

Submitted By: Luc Simmonds (Instagram: @lucculent)

"My name is Luc Simmonds, I'm 14 years of age and live in Devon, England. Being so  geographically far away from the police brutality against people of colour in the states does not give me or anyone an excuse to ignore it. This is why I wrote this poem, to emphasize that this oppression and violence boils down to no more than a brown pigment more abundant in the skin of people of colour than others. This, combined with the ignorance of many white people and the American justice system, has caused death and endless devastation and continues to, which I find simply disgusting. If you aren't educated on this topic, if you don't know about it or just don't care enough to find out, I urge you to read this poem and ask yourself every question."

imagine if you were born with more melanin,
a bit more colour in your skin,
would you still be holding that gun?
would this all seem just as fun?

imagine if you were born with more melanin,
would you still feel safe in
the way that you go about your daily life,
dealing with some other persons strife,
simply for the colour of your skin,
for being born with more melanin.

would you cry at night for your people,
who's culture is used, abused and made simple,

would you fight for all that's yours,
or just give it up, eyes teary, throat hoarse,

imagine if you were born with more melanin,
a beautiful brown covering your skin,
would you see the beauty in it,
when all your told is the opposite.
that the colour of your skin is not gorgeous,
that your melanin is ugly, worthless.

could you wear their clothes, their styles,
forgetting ones that make you smile,
that plaster one to your face,
for your culture, for your race.

would you cut your fuzzy black strands,
or take the power out of their hands,
would you oppress, would you enslave,
or would you your humanity save,

would you do unto them as they have your kin,
for the colour of their skin,

or would your heart restrict that in
the light of all your melanin.