The Wayward Scholar

The word that stripped black bodies bare; clothes, skin, flesh, muscle and bone. The word that spat upon unmarked graves and spat upon brown corpses.

The word echoing in a joyous uproar as swamp creatures fed on black babies.

The word that chained black bodies to the ground. The word that traps black bodies behind bars. The word that is supposed to mean brother but consistently means ‘other.’

The word that clasped around black throats and snapped black bones. The word that Sang melodically while heavy black bodies hang and swang rhythmically to the music.

The word that dropped black bodies down chutes and trapdoors, buried black bodies, whipped, lashed, burned, drowned and broke black bodies.

The word that clang to black bodies a decaying, stagnant odor that alerted the blood hounds when it was time to feed on black bodies.

The word that was attributed to the mothers who dared grieve when new black bodies were trodden and squashed mercilessly beneath the weight of the word.

The word that embalmed souls and suffocated dreams, extinguished lights and set fires to the blaze of madness.

The word, the anthem to hatred and bigotry.

The magic word that set off bombs and sent bullets flying through space.

The word that segregated worlds.
The word that means illiterate.
The word that means savage.
The word that was anointed in blood.
The word rooted in Evil.

The word whispered by ghosts between burning crosses.

Nah Nigga, I don’t say that word.