Revolution Eyes

So what do we do
When all we can do
Is be
What do we do
When I start saying me
When I really mean we
Looking at the world
Through these revolution eyes
Seeing your demise
What do we do
When the revolution becomes
Commercialized, televised
Mainstream
Do we revolt against the revolution
Or do we give in and become
Normalized
Looking at the world
Through these revolution eyes
And I wanna love you
Like the ocean loves the shore
I wanna love you
Till we can’t love no more
Show you the way
To revolution but
This ain’t wonderland
And I ain’t Alice
Ain’t no Wiz
Or yellow brick road
The emerald city is closed
We are POWs of an
Imaginary war
What are we fighting for
Black is beautiful
And I am a revolutionary
But real is an imaginary state
Like lucid dreams
And snoring while your awake
Anybody who wages war in my name
Doesn’t know me very well
Cause I don’t eat meat
I have no beef
I simply want change
Freedom
And equal opportunity happiness
I am not an opportunist
I’m a black woman with dreads
That likes to bake banana bread
And eat oatmeal
With sugar and spice
And everything nice
I am a one-woman revolution
Like India Arie
I might even paint my toes
Looking at the world
Through these revolution eyes
I’m tired of causes
I like effects
The little things like
Coffee with sugar and cream
The simplicity of masculinity
It’s love of femininity
Nuances of life
The revolution is in these eyes
The revolution is in these thighs
The revolution is in these fingers
The taste of revolution lingers
Like poems on your tongue
Songs hummed not sung
And food cooked from scratch
Not fries and a coke
My revolution muscle is sore
From holding my fist in the air
As acoustic guitars strum songs
That some folks think
Will bring down the walls
Of injustice
While looking from the
Outside in
And see
Revolution eyes staring back
With crocodile tears
For imaginary soldiers
Fighting imaginary wars
In lucid dreams
As virtual telephones ring
Waiting for you to exit the matrix
And let the
Real war begin
Red pill
Blue pill
Green pill
GO!

by Empress Nzingha

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