by Khalil Herrera
Here, X marks the spot to find
Freedom, where it is contained; confined.
But we as Black people — often thought to be
Vulnerable — refuse to be defined.
Let us be, finally, free.
Where? Nowhere to call home, still; held
Captive, mistreated, misguided; red
Blood in us all; boys in blue — green with greed —
Continue to unweave divided threads.
Let us be, finally, free.
There — the liberty that our ancestors deserved;
A prosperous life for their will and their nerve
In seeking asylum and justice for our people; we
Shall keep their history forever preserved.
Let them be, finally, free.
Khalil Herrera is a New York City native attending his second semester at LaGuardia Community College as a Radiologic Technology major. While he hasn’t written any poetry in his free time lately, he has experience in creating poems and using various styles of art, like pain tings, as productive forms of expression from attending the Leave Out ViolencE after-school program. “Let them be, finally free” is Khalil’s first ekphrastic poem and literary magazine submission; created during his English 102 course with Professor McNair. Throughout his academic journey, he has grown to appreciate in producing valuable pieces of work that initiate conversations.
