Who Will Speak for Albert

Inspired by the murder of Derrion Albert, though not necessarily reflective of his life.

Who will speak for Albert?

He
probably never saw it coming.
maybe too busy thinkin' on what he had to do
and they hit him.
Two by four to the head
boot to the gut
and death came.
Eaten by the spirits of ancestors long neglected and forgotten
abandoned like New Orleans to hell of high water
and who will speak for him?

his killers will have had their names on nightly news, blogs and websites
presidents will have no words
for Albert was not from Princeton, a no one
yes
thats what you are when you're young brainy and black.

If you don't sing or dance TV has no place for you
Albert
If you can't tell a joke, play ball or rock a mic
you are nobody
You
are worthy of ridicule
not worthy of consideration by those
who fight over streets they don't even pay taxes on
Albert
They hate you
Your women hate you for your pants don't sag.

Your draws don't show and you lack swagger
Your English was probably too good and your knowledge too deep.
Deep down,
they envied you.

Albert, you were a king among barbarians
working to be worthy of a queen, not a gangsta bitch.
and who will speak for you?

Probably got up from can't see and worked 'till can't see
Probably passed on pussy to pick up a book
did it so you could pass that test so you could get pass out that hood.
And they probably teased you.
Called you gay
I know, they tried that on me.

Probably spent your time avoiding bathrooms and other unsafe places where hoods lie in wait for victims.

Probably took the long way home sometimes cause you just didn't want to be fucked with.

And no doubt there will be sociologsts, psychologists
Urban professionals and black scholars

They will explain how your killers were deprived of good schools, good homes and fathers.

They will blame Bill Cosby for speaking truth and say I am blaming the victim
but who will speak for you albert?

And we are to blame
Albert
We keep buying music by self called gangsters, drug dealers and pimps
we pay black men who piss on and beat on women and then blame the media for their troubles.

Yes Albert we killed you

And while Beyonce wanted a soldier
but you would have been content with
president
architect
engineer
albert
you may have cured cancer.
And we failed you.

And after 25 years your killers, will show up on TV somewhere and they will say they have found Christ or the local Masjid.
They will claim to have learned their lessons and want a second chance at life.

There will be gang documentaries of their exploits with video of your beat down.


We will nod our heads,
we will nod our heads
we will be proud that yet another black man in jail has found the light
but who
who will speak for you
Albert?