SONRISE

from Corner Stories by Orlando Watson

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lyrics

I watched my wife
Push a 7 pound, 10 ounce 18 inch prince from her hips
Amidst a global pandemic
He's photogenic
Just like his mother
Posing for pictures despite a crisis
Creating a riotous resistance while society habitually dismisses
Black existence
At every turn
But the curve of his smile couldn't curb enthusiasm even if he tried
And that silver lining in his eyes
Makes my blues a bit more bearable whenever I bleed
From watching law enforcement force their knees
Into lifeless black bodies
For over 9 minutes
We the people pray for a suitable sentence
Like pretentious conversations at cotillions
But we're always expected to bow and to courtesy
Despite the disturbing reports
Don't retort, retaliate or riot
Just keep quiet and extinguish any fire you feel
From head to heal until legislative bills reach Capitol Hill
Then copy paste repeat
Copy paste repeat
But that
That choreography doesn't cut the rug how it used to
At least not this summertime

My Ancestors suffered beneath the sun for 200 summers too long
But my son won't sing that same work-song
I'm sure of it
These children of the quarantine are harvesting a newfound freedom
From farming tactics planted by millennials who
Dream of equality effective immediately
And the duality of our disposition is daunting
The consequence of our color is haunting
However
My 7 pound 10 ounce 18 inch child
Was just the riot I needed
Oddly he was even
Born in March
With perfectly arched feet
That remind me of that bloody bridge in Selma
That Martin made move some Sundays ago
I suspect my son will see more CNN than seesaw
Fully equipped to pick apart propaganda prematurely
But playgrounds tend to lose their appeal
Whenever protesters risk being killed for kids
With complexions that wage war without warning
And my beautiful
My beautiful baby boycott is in that boat
And I've been known
To unpack black pain in plain sight for public consumption
But my son
My son is something else
My son is some sort of resort
That transforms my norms every morning without fail
And for that I am thankful
No
No that government sanctioned solitude
Wasn't the summertime I had in mind
But Father Time took my tour from beneath my feet
He even drafted Kobe for keeps
I assumed that season would be a breeze
But 2020 didn't seem to understand ease
Or acknowledge the 40 million or more
White flags flying in the face of government assistance
Or the unending, global resistance we witness
On wide screens with wide eyes while the world burns
But I'll see to it that my son is set to rise
I'll see to it that my son is set to rise
On the other side
On the other side of that summertime

credits

from Corner Stories, released December 3, 2021

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Orlando Watson Cleveland, Ohio

Orlando Watson is largely recognized for his thought provoking free-verse poetry accompanied by soulful compositions. Orlando’s has shared stages with acts such as: Lalah Hathaway, Braxton Cook, Keyon Harrold, Chantae Cann, Tye Tribbett, Dominick Farinacci, and Jessica Caremoore to name a few. ... more

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