i’ll walk next to you

not so fast

i need to make sure my shoes are tied, my caps on straight, and align the strings on my hoodie before i make a break to join you on this tromps through back-alleyways and caverns created and tested by few who were willing to take a risk

escalating our senses to the uncomfortable point of understanding we won’t ever get there

where?

“but how much loooonger?”

there is no long

you’re there

keep walking doesn’t seem to register with those still stuck at the starting line, striding in place

a treadmill race

wondering why the gun shots echoed, smoked, and left our senses

i saw the proof

they waited

we circled them

lapping

without a place to claim or win to regain the slave shoveled medal designed to remind us we’re still wandering, working, developing

stop talking

how can we be anything but equal?

when we’re nothing

not nothing without a ‘thing’

nothing with everything

waiting to be recognized will only leave you guessing

nowhere now

unrecognizable

my feelings vanish

dreams escape

electric pulses now form our shape

free