Beauty Does Not Stay Down

before you mourn your mom smiling out from behind the gauze of her disease, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you expect your dad to be reasonable, to let go of both mom and who he is this instant, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you ask your cousin, your self, to abandon rage about grief and loss, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you say goodbye to someone, certain your story ends here, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you expect someone to stop being so negative all the time, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you apologize for being yourself again, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you concern yourself with their motives, with yours, remember

beauty will not sit down

before you feel wounded by words spoken at the table, or online
words pouring forth from countless lifetimes of brethren in streets gunned down, remember Mike Brown

beauty will not sit down

before you look away in horror from girls bought and sold for sex and pennies, recall

beauty will not stay down

before you accept what is said about you, about us, as the truth, remember

beauty will not stay down

before you decide you’re not brave enough for this life
curl up and rest or recall the seed in the ground

you will rise up again

you will rise again

you rise again

you rise

you

!

beauty does not stay down