Here Comes This Dreamer
Here Comes This Dreamer
It is our privilege to introduce you to this powerful book of poetry by Micah Bournes. Micah is an underground activist in every sense of the word.
We are not very sales-y, but the odds are pretty strong that you are going to want to purchase this anthology after you read the intro and the poem below. Hence, we have kindly added a link below.
Navigating America as a black man has been the strongest influence and most common theme in my writing. When I considered the cover of my first collection of poetry, it was important to collaborate with an artist who shared that experience. Austin Uzor does with paint, canvas, and visual image what I do with word, page, and metaphor. The cover features a man of African descent at an intersection in any given city in America. America, the land of opportunity. Endless possibility for anyone willing to work hard. That is what the black man is told. Given the orientation of the subject, the green light indicates it is safe to cross, to move forward. But upon closer examination, you may notice there are greens lights in both directions, a set up, a guaranteed disaster. The invitation to proceed and participate in the hustle and bustle of western society is a trap for the black man. We cannot walk down any street safely. How then, do we move? Where then, do we belong if our home is not our home, and the land of our ancestors is so far removed? When our reality appears impossible, we have no choice but to dream. Every step requires creativity and courage. Austin’s green light intersection is a poem in itself. It perfectly captures so much of what I am hoping to communicate in this book before you even read a single poem. (Micah Bournes)
Here Comes This Dreamer
They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.” (Genesis 37:18-20)
Here comes this dreamer
they whispered
Meaning to insult
What a lovely way to show disdain
Here comes this dreamer
Said the brothers
Said the enemies
Said the dreamless that
wanted his vision
He was favored
He was young
He was gifted
But they were most offended by his dream
They tried to kill the prophet
in hopes of killing the prophecy
Here comes this dreamer
said the sightless with murder in their eyes
But you cannot kill what you cannot see
You cannot silence a voice you cannot hear
You cannot disbelieve in dreams
that were never yours
