Read & recorded by M. Dortch
Photos by S. Dortch

Why the cool the pose you ask?

Why do we wear the mask?

Do a mental rewind of ivory colored hoods riding in the night picking strange fruit

Yesterday, Emmitt Till for a playful whistle

Today, Trayvon Martin for iced tea and Skittles?

Can you still hear the sounds of souls marching to overcome?

Through our mothers and fathers faith we believed the price was paid in full to move us to that post-racial promise land of gated hoods where you mislabel my hoodie and skin as a sin worth dying for

I cry for you and me, for our sons, for us, but love you I must

When will America see the beautiful boys that we call sons?

When will our sons see America the beautiful?