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I wept into the night

Prayed not to die here

Choruses of pained voices sang back

They said when they have tried to drown you

Steal your voice

And your belief in self defence

Convinced you your skin is dirt

Filthy and torn apart for diamonds

When you have wished to dissolve

When you have dissolved

When you have seen yourself slave

When you struggle to unsee yourself slave

Felt the brutality of a master or owner

Cry, grieve

Weep, so your heart can know it's not being foolish by hurting

But please do not carry the neglect and dehumanization

The world treats you with

Into your heart

For every lost&stolen black kid

You are loved

You are worthy of saving

You are worthy of being free

There will be years of hurting

It may hurt more before it does less

I wish I could tell you there wasn't

But you're going to need to breathe through it all

But there is hope out there

Please believe me

Remember when building walls to leave room for doors

For hope and love

You have survived

You are surviving

Hold your head high

Borrow strength from those before you if you need to