Shades of a Colored Man
The signs use to read:
“For whites only”—
“Colored fountain”—water
clear as day.
If you’re brown
you may stick around;
but blacks must get back.
Today is equal opportunity employment
but your equity has been revoked;
job’s been passed on to another colored yoke.
Beside, you’re over qualified;
the shade of skin is not why you’re denied.
Then in the heat of day, you screamed and cried:
“Give me liberty or give me death!”
Your demand they granted immediately:
Today we dig your grave.