Heartbeats and Soft Speech
By Raque Burkeholder
Through heartbeats & soft speech I ask a question
What do you see when you look at me?
Do you see the representation I see in myself which is a fighter for myself and everyone else? Or do you see a Lifer serving Life with no right to ANYTHING, not even his own life?
I gave you my all, I’ll fight for your cause, but if I show you my scars would that be going too far?
Through heartbeats & soft speech my pain seeps
Do you want the whole me or just a piece of me?
But what if the key to me was accepting every piece of me, because if you take this piece…and that piece…you may leave the very best piece of me…And how tragic would that be?
Through heartbeats & soft speech my heart speaks
I was told; “Tell us who you are, but leave out your innocence.”
The benefits of me speaking about my innocence is to show you I’m not suffering from indolence, or should I give it to you in increments while hoping for someone that is heaven-sent to help free me from this circumstance?
I’m standing for change, so you’ll yell out my name, but when I show you my pain, why do moods begin to change?
Through heartbeats & soft speech my soul weeps
I’m sentenced to die, I wish this life wasn’t mine like this crime wasn’t mine…Sometimes I cry while looking in the sky asking God why, praying I don’t die before I overturn this lie.
Through heartbeats & soft speech the truth leaks
I remain strong but my soul aches and it seems all I get is high fives and handshakes.
I’ve gotten so many handshakes my hand aches…. And what’s a high five to someone sentenced to die?
Some say: “I see you, keep pushing, you’re doing well”, but am I doing well? When I leave here I’m going to lock back into a cell.
Or I hear, “I like your poetry”…Guess what, she does too…“I like your writing”…Guess what, he does too…I would like freedom, and guess what…He does too..He does too…Matt, what about you?
If you like me as a person why not help me overturn…no, overcome…the real reason why I’m hurting?
This here is a call to..What happened? But remember love isn’t love without action!
Through heartbeats & soft speech my body speaks…And it’s yelling…FREE ME!
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