Questions

“Until all oppressed people

              are free—

              none of us are free.”

I.

the chains are different now—

lay on this body strange

no metal clanging in my ears

chains laying strange

chains laying light-weight

laying credit cards

laying welfare forms

laying buying time

laying white packets of dope

laying afros & straightened hair

laying pimp & revolutionary

laying mother & daughter

laying father & son

chains laying strange—

strange laying chains

          chains

how do i break these chains

II.

the chains are different now—

laying on this body strange

funny chains—no clang

chains laying strange

chains laying light-weight

chains laying dishes

chains laying laundry

chains laying grocery markets

chains laying no voice

chains laying children

chains laying selective jobs

chains laying less pay

chains laying girls & women

chains laying wives & women

chains laying mothers & daughters

chains laying strange

strange laying chains

          chains

how do i break these chains

III.

the chains are still here

laying on this body strange

no meta—no clang

chains laying strange

chains laying light-weight

chains laying funny

chains laying different

chains laying dyke

chains laying bull-dagger

chains laying pervert

chains laying no jobs

chains laying more taxes

chains laying beatings

chains laying stares

chains laying myths

chains laying fear

chains laying revulsion

chains laying strange

strange laying chains

          chains

how do i break these chains

IV.

the chains are here

no metal—no clang

chains of ignorance & fear

chains here—causing pain

how do i break these chains

to whom or what

do i direct pain

          Black—white

          mother—father

          sister—brother

          straight—gay

how do i break these chains

how do i stop the pain

who do I ask—to see

what must i do—to be free

sisters—how do i break your chains

brothers—how do i break your chains

mothers—how do i break your chains

fathers—how do i break your chains

i don’t want to kill—

i don’t want to cause pain—

how—

how else do i break—your chains