Running

It’s cool, Yo

It’s cool, though.

You ran

maybe walked

a little over two miles

Done worked up a sweat

I bet

your breathing was a little bit

labored but you still mustered a smile

or pensive look

in that pic you took

‘Cuz you gotta post it

Twitter

Tik Tok

IG

Facebook

Look

See

Show solidarity

On which side you stand

But where you been?

‘Cuz I ain’t see ya

Maybe I missed the post

of you selling cds before taking your last breath

or the algorithm might’ve hidden

you talking about any of the...

countless deaths, murders,

modern day stringing then swinging from a tree of those who look like me

Maybe I missed it

I ain’t really on social media like that

It could’ve easily slipped through the crack

chasm

But don’t let that back spasm you got from that run

make you feel like you did something

Does it?

Are you like,

this shit hurts but it was worth it

But it wasn’t worth it to not give that chuckle

or smile when your neighbor

lamented property values’ decline

when “that” family moved in

You been hearing, seeing, living all this time

and haven’t noticed

or have noticed, but

Heard the horror, but

Saw the footage, but your foot -

right or left - didn’t move one inch

Your ASICS weren’t laced

You didn’t even stretch

When do you ever

stretch past what’s comfortable?

move in a way that might bring

a little pain to ligaments and muscles?

Might cause a strain, tussle within your conscience

Or within your friend group

Or family

Wouldn’t want Thanksgiving to be tense

It’s easier to just stay quiet

Not rock the boat

Let if float no matter

how rotted the hull might be

Hope that things get better

Pray

then turn away

‘Cuz those images give you nightmares

You’d rather check out

change the channel

scroll to the next something

that means nothing

But at least you don’t have to think

about what we’re talking about

You can NOT talk about it

But now you walk about it

or run,

But why now?

If you’re running just to run

or to paint yourself as one of the good ones

it’s cool

If you ain’t gone stand in the paint

take a charge

put your body on the line to defend what’s right

then we ain’t playing the same game

when you use those same running feet

To take a stand

or to walk out

or to run in between

to walk with

to run to the mirror

run to your conscience

your soul

whatever part of you controls how u move

Then, maybe “with” fits

Only then

But when?

How about tomorrow

Or today

Or right now?

Because until you do,

y’all do

There willl always be another

Reason to run.