Juneteenth

If you have information   

That you know 

Could instantly lift 

An unbearable burden 

Off the back 

Of a fellow human

 

But opt not to share it

 

Because un-complicating 

Someone else’s life 

Might complicate

Yours 

 

Then you suck

 

And if you are not interested

In exposing yourself to facts

 

In learning as an adult

What you were never taught 

As a child 

 

Than at least have the sense

Not to be the loudest one 

In the room

 

What heavy burden 

Are you carrying

Today

 

Maybe bankruptcy 

Or cancer

Or something else

Too painful

To mention

 

What if someone

Walked through the door right now

And brought the solution 

 

Told you that

A huge surprise inheritance

Had just paid your debts

 

Told you that

The cure for cancer

Had been found

 

Told you the suffering was over

 

And though 

The last many years

Had nearly broken you

 

Required you 

To make impossible choices

As you scraped together a life

With no funds

 

Required you 

To say goodbye

To those you loved dearly

As cancer took them 

From this earth

 

What if you then learned

That the inheritance left to you

Was supposed to be given

Nearly three years ago

 

That the cure for cancer

Had really been found

Long before 

Those you loved 

Died 

 

You might still

Be thankful 

For the windfall

For the cure

 

But you’d also damn sure

Be angry

 

That such life altering information 

Was intentionally withheld 

 

And when finally

You realized

That this injustice 

Was by design

 

You’d see 

As well

How little

Has changed