Dania Maaliki
My name is Dania Maaliki. I am a Palestinian, Lebanese, Muslim American. This piece was a way for me to speak my peace on the current movement of black lives matter. I felt triggered not only by the horrific loss of George Floyd but also the ongoing racism issue in this country. Poetry is my platform; it is my voice in an art form. I have been and plan to continue using poetry to speak on relevant issues. “Still Human” was an emotional piece for me to write; it took me weeks to complete. I think it’s been difficult for a majority of people to put their feelings into words with the current state of our world, and I hope my expression of words can help others come up with their own.
STILL HUMAN
*breathe*
B-R-E-A-T-H-E
B.
Black. Beautiful. Brave. Bold. Babies. Brothers. Bankers. Ballers. And baby fathers.
Still human.
R.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Kaepernick, he took a knee. They had an image, you see. Even though he was as peaceful as could be. He kneeled on the ground his ancestors built, to earn the r-e-s-p-e-c-t he deserved. They were mad. Why wouldn’t they be? A member from the black community made a statement about how things should be.
Still human.
E.
Wyze said endangered. An endangered species. Yes, I’m talking of our black community. They are quick to adopt, fund and nurture an endangered species. Wild animals though, not their own. Homo sapiens. But treated like aliens… in their own country. We’re not done yet.
Still human.
A.
Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. Trayvon Martin. Tamir Rice. Walter Scott. Mya Hall. All… of these black kings and queens. Innocent but the cops had to intervene. You know what won’t be shown on the screen. Why I call them kings and queens. They’ll be quick to tell you we need a vaccine and to quarantine. But you’re telling me these black men and women were left to bleed… and cry and plead I CAN’T BREATHE.
Still human.
T.
Trapped. Tired. Talented, so damn talented. Tough and True. But most of all, TIMELESS. TIME. LESS.
Still human.
H.
Hate. What this damn country was brought up on. Hate. Hate so engrained, all the cops do is aim… as soon as a black man or woman is in their space. And they never feel ashamed. Treating the oppressed like animals that are chained. All for their families to stare at a tombstone engraved… with their sons or daughter’s names.
Still human.
E.
ENOUGH. Enough treating our black brothers and sisters like they aren’t tame. Enough treating them like they don’t have a name. Or we don’t all bleed the same. Hundreds of years of these supremacists and oppressors playing the same game. Now they’re wondering why their cities are up in flames?
Still human.
Always been human.
Always will be human.
I spelt out breathe while I breathed.
Something that’s become privilege to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide between our lungs. And I’m sick, along with many others, of seeing so many innocent and intelligent black men and women die so young. Thus why we march, we spit, and we have important conversations.
To build our relations in a damn nation built on a foundation of stolen creations.
And black lives matter has attracted all locations.
It’s time to hear the lives lost in publications.
Raise donations.
Enough with these allegations and predation.
This system is in rotation.
Officers tell me your qualifications cause to me it sounds like you filled out a McDonald’s application.