Poetry & Art

It starts with the heart

They say some of the leading causes of death for black people is health issues and police brutality

But what they don’t tell you

Is that in reality

Many other factors play a part

What they don’t talk about is the heart

The heart has been killing us from the start

We have kids we don’t want and put them in the system

Letting them grow up feeling abandoned and unloved

We have single parents playing both roles

Leaving children feeling empty and tryna fill in the holes

The young women don’t know what real love feels like so they stay in toxic situations

If that man is beating you, or cheating on you

Belittling you, or tossing you to the side

Y’all should not be having relations

The men are destroying the women that love them most

Then they boast about it to their friends

And these young women never know when to leave, they stay to no end

They always make amends

Everyone is angry or hurting

Harboring pain

Then using it against others for their own personal gain

Our children are getting bullied by other children who were not loved enough

Who were not taught

That pain starts at the heart

Physical pain is bad but the emotional pain is worse

Everyone is depressed

Self harm leaves bathroom sinks a bloodied mess

Everyone is in competition

Everyone tears each other down instead of uplifting

People are crying for help online

And social media deems them attention seeking

Ignoring the scars, and the tears

The leading cause of death is the heart

But y’all aren’t listening

Comment
by Shanelle Franceschi

My name is Shanelle Franceschi, I’m 22 and I’m a Starbucks barista. I love writing, mostly poetry. I love creating In general. I plan on going back to school and being a student in fashion styling. I’m normally very shy but I want what I have to say to get out there.

More From Poetry & Art

The Sand Dollar

by Deeya Foreman

friends.

by Rocío Romero

In the Conflict of Modern Ideas

by Daniela Gutierrez

Your voice is a treasure

by Candace Taylor

My eyes are mirroring

by Simona Prilogan