Baltimore Burns as Dr King rolls in his grave
and the dream that he gave us is buried along with him
Baltimore Burns as preachers preach peace
to ears that wouldn’t hear Jesus when he preached it in Palestine
Baltimore Burns as Trevor hangs on a cross
nobody saw because white sheets obscured their view
Baltimore Burns as the thirteenth amendment
is riddled with bullet holes at the police shooting range

Baltimore burns as the world turns
to stare at their screens, block out the nations’ screams

Baltimore Burns as the first black President
shakes hands with an oil executive and thanks him for the check that’s in the mail
Baltimore Burns as most of the local fire brigade
is conspicuously absent, watching from jail
Baltimore Burns, no number two pencil
could unravel the mystery of failing ghetto schools
Baltimore Burns as the minimum wage
still does not get raised and senators collect their pensions

Baltimore burns as the world turns
to stare at their screens, block out the nations’ screams

Baltimore Burns, a new news cycle is born
networks rise and fall on the tide of violence in our streets
Baltimore Burns, now black lives really matter
they’re raising the ratings with each window that they smash

Baltimore burns as the world turns
to stare at their screens, block out the nations’ screams

Posted Tuesday, February 21st 2017