We Will Forge Ahead

They tell us to “get over it”
though they stole us from our home
forced us into iron shackles,
stripped us from a culture of our own.

They tell us to “just let it go”
though they beat us into submission
ripped our babies from our arms
and showed no mercy or contrition.

They tell us to “forget the past”
though they halted our progession:
they burned our towns and hung our men
to ensure not growth but regression.

They tell us to “discount our fears”
though they hold the badge and gun;
they subjugate us by using the law
as we fear for the plight of our sons.

They tell us to “dismiss it from mind”
though they work to rewrite our history
to minimize injustice we suffered
to make us small and trite and petty.

They tell us to do all these things
but we continue our fight everyday
to be seen as men and stand with pride
and we’ll let no one stand in our way—

Our history will not be changed
but our present is ours to define
we will rise above, with righteous might
and live lives of our own design.