Have you ever loved a Black man?
Maybe if you have
You too can understand
How a cop with a gun in his hand
Is a threat to life and liberty
To every pursuit of happiness
No man on Earth deserves less
Have you ever loved a Black man?
Then you know we can not
And will not be free
Until the men we love
Get to fulfill a destiny
Not trapped behind bars
Or handcuffed and stuffed
Into police cars
Have you ever loved a Black man?
Who deserves life
Without parole
To live free from control
Based on fear
Fear of the very men
We hold dear
Have you ever loved a Black man?
A man who raised you to be
More than what the eyes can see
A man who sang to you with soul
A man who stayed strong
But hate took a toll
Until one day he couldn’t fix his face
Despite being told
There is no crying in this place
Have you ever loved a Black man?
A man brought to his knees
Yet still refuses to do as they please
A man who took all the beatings
And cried I can’t breathe
Have you ever loved a Black man?
Whose wounds bleed
From the lashes
Where massa’s whip took seed
Only to grow more and more hate
From truth that false histories
Cannot abate
Have you ever loved a Black man?
A beautiful Black man
No?
Well then you’ll never understand
How it feels to watch one die
By a white hand
Just because they can
