Bitter bitter sweet

Bitter

Bitter bitter
Sweet


Softened

Empire
Strengthened

upon 
the suffering

Of bitter, bitter
Pain.

Sweetness 
Bought

On the 
back

Of 
Brutalised 
Black men

Bitter, bitter, bitter
Sweet.

Fortunes 
Of families
Founded 
On falsehoods.

Ghosts
Of ungodliness
Hunting
Now  
Through our 
Corridors 
Of 
Power.

Slave-chains
Chiming
Like 
Porcelain
and
The stench
Of 
Blood
Mixed with
Sweat

Leak
Into 
Each 
Polite
Cup
and

Conversation

Around 
tea 
and 
coffee
And 
chocolate.

How long 
Will we
Bury 
Our 
Heads?

Bury
the 
shame?

Bury
the 
pain?

And credit 
Ourselves
With 
Foundations 
Of gold

When the truth
Of the matter
Is
That

Our wealth
Was built 

On the back
Of brutalised black women
And children
and 
men.

Generations
Of
Denial 
Slide into the past.


Boatyard
Buildings
Seemingly 
Solid
Melt
Like 
Cubes of
Sugar
Into the 
Thames

Exposing the bones
Of Black
Women
and 
children
And 
Men.

For the unseen and

The unheard millions

May your voices now be heard.