For us to feel “secure”
What price is being paid?
If living in freedom
Why are we afraid?

Fear is everywhere
All around
Perhaps irrational
But without any bound

You can see it on our faces
Sense it in our eyes
You can hear it in our whispers
Feel it in our cries

Looking over my shoulders
Unable to speak my mind
Living in a deviant world
Where the deaf is led by the blind

What happened to my country
For fear to rule the day?
How have my people
Lost their direction and way?

Why do I seem uncomfortable?
Why am I not at ease?
Why do I feel helpless
As if the roots are cut
From underneath the trees?
Why the bigoted policies
In our name and honor
The disgusting abuses,
Despicable lies and sleaze?
Why am I tongue-tied
My mind unwittingly closed
My hands unable to squeeze?
Why acting like a drunk
Or as one who’s affected
With a deadly disease?
Why are my eyes
Gazing endlessly
Unable to focus or cry
To make demands or pleas?

Why am I hesitant
To look in the mirror?
What would I think
I might actually see?
A person who’s frightened
Lost his precious soul
His self-confidence
That can’t be me!
I shall regain my unshakable faith
My humanity and dignity
For me to remain fearful
I couldn’t be free

So come and join me
My dear sister and brother
As we embark together
On the path to true freedom
In a mission, paramount and awesome
To defeat our innermost fears
Cherish our great values
Defend our rights
Old warriors heroically won
We’re no longer afraid
To speak out minds
Shout out truth to power
To stand up for justice
And march tenaciously in unison

* This poem is dedicated to Rev. Warren Clark and Friends of Human Rights in Tampa, Fl