Letter of Love

Dear Erica,
See I had to write you this love letter,
because at the time I knew
that communicating with you
in the moment would not have been
the most effective way for me to share
with you my point-of-view

See, as I sat at my desk and
listened to you discuss Chris Brown's
not-so recent arrest for assaulting Rihanna
my heart began to pace uncontrollably
"She probably came out her face," you said
"She pushed him to the limit," you said
"Some girls get hit," you said
and as you giggled and laughed

I knew that a move on my part
could have only resulted in
me coming out of my skin
and be forced to break on you

I bit my tongue as your classmates joined in
"guys beat on girls and girls beat on guys," they said
"that's just the way it is today," they said
"I know if a guy hits me, I'm hittin him back," she said
"Uh, I don't hit girls, but if she come out her face," he said
and I knew that a move on my part
could have only resulted in
me coming out of my skin
and be forced to break on you

I began to breathe deeply as you teacher
tried to share with you another view
"you old school Miss," you said
"girls don't think like that no more," you said
"I know a girl that doesn't come to school
when she gets hit," you said
And I knew that a move
on my part could have only result in
me coming out of my skin
and be forced to break on you

So I took a step forward
and I took a step back
as visions of blackened and bloodied
faces swirled inside my mind
and childhood memories of
hiding in closets hands covering ears
I knew that I loved you
I realized that I had to love you
and confront the violence
that you have grown so comfortable with

So I write you this letter, not in anger but in love
because our sisters must be loved
and our brothers must be loved
and our children must be taught
that violence will no longer be spelled
L-O-V-E