with liberty and justice for all

N Jeanne Burns

my tree, the white boy thought
as he hung white
knotted nooses
on the live oak
he couldn’t name

as administration cut
the oak down to
only stump
the ‘white tree’
my tree, he thought
my school, he thought
as the D.A said
“I could erase your lives with ease”
to the black boys
he didn’t know

as administration wagged
their fingers
at the white boy
for his knotty prank
my school, he thought

my country, he thought
as he watched on tv
the black boys marched
into the courtroom
he didn’t know

as one after another
laid their black hands
on the bible
and swore to truth
my country, the white boy thought