Of Lions With Notebooks…

Until the Lion begins to write, the stories will glorify the hunter. Until my skin becomes bulletproof, death will always do target practice with my people. Until our courage towers over our fears, we will always write more bereavement letters and less love letters. Until these dreams I dream with my eyes wide open become a reality, our deaths will always be a trending joke to them. Until we make a conscious decision and recognize our traumas, we will keep on raising children that need to heal from their childhood. Until we realize that this weight we carry with us is a result of circumstances and not a disease, we will never be truly free. Until when will we wait for Moses to come back and take us to Israel.Until, Until, Until, Until when?

Pic Credit | Michael Aboya

And if I was a lion, I would learn to read and write just like the enslaved Africans did in Virginia. I would buy a diary from the Elephants and scribble my life’s scriptures just like the Apostles did. Am I the only one who is tired of this life, of these lies. Am I the only one who is tired of naming ‘staying alive’ as the only achievement on my list.Until when will we let them mislead our children and rob them of their self worth. As long as we play the victim and never the villain, as long as we don’t know the difference between our flaws,scars and beauty marks we will never grow.

It’s not true what they say when they romanticize our suffering and tell you that difficult times create great men. It’s not true what they say when they tell you of how they civilized us and justify their “burden” to euphemism for imperialism. It’s not true what they say when they crop out the truth and screenshot their lies to the front pages of our history books. So I will zoom in to their lies and show you how to apply the truth filter. I will school you of how the lion killed the hunter’s whole damn family. I will teach you to find the pieces of yourself that you lost in history books, to shade away the skin of your misguided convictions. I will remind you that even though we do not live forever, our words will.

And if I was a lion I would learn to read and write – until our justice is just this, this truth. I will keep on writing love letters to you dear lion, until you learn to read and write. Until Tomorrow!…

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,...."
Deuteronomy 31:6