Poem of the Week: Jonathan B. Tucker

The Sign       

pardon our appearance

as we grow to better serve you

says the sign on the fence

and i wonder how the 'you'

in that sentence

can mean both the young mother of three

carrying past

and me

is who they serve clear

is it up for debate

is it ever stated

it is widely accepted that

the police here do not 

protect and serve everyone equally

and the schools aren't too different

digging the pipeline

to drain the shit out of the way

of these new luxury condos

and the teens who grew up here

are told daily that they ain't shit

ain't gonna be shit

worthy of digging, planning, and pardoning our appearance for

while we redevelop

no

their development gets arrested

by the same school-to-prison pipeline

the same separate and unequal

the same united states, uncaring 

and suspicious

bribed and malicious 

way past the sequel

this story has been told on a continuous loop

for hundreds of years

different characters

same plot

different costumes

same shot

please pardon our appearance

as we grow

to better serve you

says the sign

letting us know we're getting served

being handled

taken care of

-Jonathan B. Tucker

Used by permission.

Jonathan B. Tucker is a writer, actor, poet, DJ, and activist. Coach of the DC Youth Slam Team and Youth Programs Coordinator for Split This Rock, he uses performance poetry to raise issues of social justice and inspire dialogue and action. Born in Washington, DC, and raised in Crofton, MD, Jonathan has twice represented DC at the National Poetry Slam. His book, I Got the Matches, and other poems are available at jonathanbtucker.com.

     

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