Paperweight Poetry

Tell me, does a heartbeat matter?  Is every vein and organ important?  Yes? Then quit letting innocent bones clatter As they fall under the barrels of vicious men  And from men supposed to protect  From the vulgarities and raw cruelty of life  But instead they play God and elect Which black man doesn't go home to his wife  So tell me, does a heartbeat matter?  Yes? For even in our governing documents it is writ  Then we shouldn't care if he's white or the latter For if a heartbeat matters than so does the soul no matter to the skin on top of it.  -anna sluder

Do you remember that moment When your mother's back had turned  Her hair swinging like a curtain closing So that she couldn't see But you could  And your sister or brother tore that favorite toy or stuffed animal That felt like it was tethered to your soul out of your hand As if it was explicitly strung with the thread of that teddy bear  Through the vein in your wrist and up into the inner workings of your heart  So when they ripped it out of your hand  They truly ripped out your chest So when you cried and protested  And they pushed you over with a rebellious hand  And you banged your head and cried  Mommy sissy or brudder took it Mother would turn her hair swinging Like a curtain opening  And she would say "Life isn't fair"  And you slink back into realization  Thinking and just wanting to say  "I know life isn't fair, mommy, but I thought at least people were."  -anna sluder