Black Kids Falling

By Nathan Washington

In Detroit, in Inglewood, in Bronx, 
boys hold their breaths
the air is a swollen wound 
dripping their blood
lizards run the streets
swallowing innocence 
feasting on their skin
black kids fall fall fall
down the white man chutes
when doves dance dreamily
on the streets of Portland
black boys bury their dreams
like their Mamas do 
with their bodies fresh from school
the dirt on their teeth 
ready to 
sprout bloom
when winter springs 
and summer
rings 
into another yet another
bloody fall
when all else soars into clouds
and the city smiles 
in hoards and crowds
oh black boys only fall 
black boys only fall

Nathan Washington is an engineer by trade but ventures out as a writer and poet occasionally. He lives in Carson, California with his wife and son.