For Freedom
they said it was for freedom, [1]
when they sent us to kill
for imperialism;
they said it was for freedom,
when our families died;
they said it was for freedom,
when the children were shot
in schools, in malls, in their
homes;
they said it was for freedom,
as the drones dropped tonnage
after tonnage on villages; [2]
they said it was for freedom
to conduct the business
of owning other humans;
they say it is for freedom—
we’ve always known that word
to mean anything
but
we say it is for freedom
and we mean it [3]
[1] Jefferson Cowie «Is Freedom White?». Boston Review.
[2] “The Civilian Impact of Drones.” Columbia University. 2012. PDF.
[3] The Black Scholar – 50.03