Home » Poems » Pandita Sietesantos » I Can'T Breathe

I Can'T Breathe

I Can’t Breathe My Country, I ask of thee, why do you still hate me? America the Beautiful, why, why, am I scorned and reviled, your unwanted dark child? With your knee on my neck, I’m still enslaved, gasping for breath.. gasping for breath… waiting for the Angel of Death. You despise my skin, this honeyed skin of a blackened hue; you lynch me - hang me from a tree, from sea to shining sea. Dear God, will I ever be free? With your knee on my neck, I’m still enslaved, gasping for breath.. gasping for breath… waiting for the Angel of Death. Enslaved by your forefathers from the 17th Century, you sent your hounds after me, set me on fire, ripped the baby from my swollen belly... why oh why, Sweet Land of Liberty? Why are you free only for some... but never for me? With your knee on my neck, I’m still enslaved, gasping for breath.. gasping for breath… waiting for the Angel of Death. You curse my dark skin and I'm nothing to you, I'm just a non-entity with no soul. Yes, my crime is my blackness; heartless, you laugh as I plead, heartless you watch as I bleed... and then you watch me die. With your knee on my neck, I’m still enslaved, gasping for breath.. gasping for breath… waiting for the Angel of Death. You've shackled and pinned me down, now I’m helpless on the ground... and I can’t breathe; I'm telling you ... I can't breathe. But as I take my last breath, don't you ever forget, that not even the Angel of Death… can obliterate the generations that will take root and rise up, from my Blessed Blackness. Date: 06-13-2020 Contest: I Can't Breathe Poetry Contest Sponsor: Richard Lamoureux Placement: 2nd Place

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Vladislav Raven

Date: 8/5/2020 8:26:00 AM

Hi Pandita, firstly, congratulations on your win with this powerful, realistic write. There is great sadness in what you write. It is so sad that anyone can die because of the colour of their skin, their ethnicity. Their is only one ethnicity and that should be human. Take away all labels but that one. I don't think there shall be equality while I live but we can move towards it. This is a write that brings tears to the eyes. Has to be a fav. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Love and Hugs....Mike. XX

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 10/10/2020 4:57:00 PM

Hi Mike, unfortunately, this is all too true! Many of us are still in the dark ages, and sadly, even though we are so scientifically/technologically advanced, our thought processes, attitudes, and behaviors toward our fellow man, have not evolved with these rapidly changing times! Have an awesome weekend, dear friend! Always love and hugs. Pandita

Joseph May

Date: 6/17/2020 8:34:00 PM

So powerful and sad Pandita, Congrats on your win..

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:55:00 PM

Thank you, thank you, dear Joseph for your great compliments which mean a lot to me! Hope you're enjoying your weekend! Hugs. Pandita

Mohan Chutani

Date: 6/16/2020 6:55:00 AM

Pandita, great to see your muse and fine win. Congrats dear friend. Mohan

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:47:00 PM

Hi Mohan, it's great to receive your lovely compliments! Thank you very much! Have an enjoyable weekend! Hugs and best regards. Pandita

John Watt

Date: 6/15/2020 10:38:00 PM

Pandita, this brought tears to my eyes. My country was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men (and women) were created equal. We still have so far to go, and it makes me sad that lives are still being taken. I applaud you for this amazing poem. ~ John

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:37:00 PM

Hi John, thank you so kindly for stopping by and leaving me your compliments and heartfelt response! I totally agree with you, and regrettably, while mankind has made great strides in technological and other advancements, we are lagging far behind on advancing racial equality. Yes, my friend, we have miles to go before we sleep! Best regards. Pandita

Paghunda Zahid

Date: 6/15/2020 1:35:00 PM

Wow.. And congratulations!

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:16:00 PM

Paghunda, thank you very much for you congratulatory words! Best regards. Pandita

Beata Agustin

Date: 6/15/2020 2:30:00 AM

Wow! Congrats! Thanks for sharing this. God bless you.

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:09:00 PM

Thank you so much Beata! Hugs and blessings!

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 6/14/2020 7:06:00 PM

It is every American's God given right to be treated equal, but I doubt that will ever happen. We are making progress little by little but not nearly fast enough. Parents need to stop passing on their prejudice to their offspring. I have experienced the reverse here from locals who almost killed my son because he is white. It is very sad. You relate this well in your wonderful poem Panagiota. Congratulations on your second place win! Blessings xxoo

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/21/2020 12:00:00 PM

Dear Connie, thank you for your awesome response and I absolutely agree with you - racial and other forms of discrimination are such atrocities that continue to take a huge toll on our humanity. Discrimination of all kinds begins at home and parents are responsible for what they teach their children. I'm so totally appalled by the reverse discrimination that your son has suffered! It's all very sad and tragic. I pray that we are going forward in the right direction to make this a better world for all regardless of our differences. Love and hugs.

Rico Leffanta

Date: 6/14/2020 1:36:00 PM

Mankind is always searching for love but quickly settles on hate. Aloha! Rico

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/14/2020 4:49:00 PM

Many thanks, Rico! Unfortunately, that's all too true my friend. Hugs. Pandita

Besma Riabi Dziri

Date: 6/14/2020 12:01:00 PM

I can't breathe, what shall I do to stay alive? Peel my skin! For you to admire my drive?! How would I, hate, contempt, intolerance.. survive?! Blessed Humanity! A great rendition! Congratulations on your outshining placement, Pandita! A great pleasure to read your poetry.. My deepest regards and blessings.

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/14/2020 12:49:00 PM

My dear sweet, friend, Besma, thank you for your wonderful, kind words and thank you for your awesome insightful comments which I appreciate! Have a superb week ahead! Hugs and love. Pandita

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 6/14/2020 11:03:00 AM

Thanks for adding your voice. Congrats on your win. Hugs Rick.

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/14/2020 11:41:00 AM

Thank you too Rick for the opportunity and the win! Hugs. Pandita

John Hamilton

Date: 6/13/2020 10:23:00 PM

What a powerful write Pandita, I can hear the song being sung by the myriads of people who are oppressed, here in Canada it's the native indigenous people who are being killed, racism is universal each country has it's own version of this kind of pandemic !

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/14/2020 2:05:00 AM

Hi John, I greatly appreciate your awesome, well-articulated comments. Thank you kindly. It's such a shame that while the world continues to evolve in many respects, humanity has not evolved beyond the baseness of racism and ethnocentrism.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 6/13/2020 5:22:00 PM

No human being has the right to enslave another be they black, white or whatever. Such cruelty we're seeing today belongs in medieval times. Well written Pandita, lovely to see you, hope you are well. Good luck in the contest. Tom

Pandita Sietesantos
Date: 6/13/2020 5:36:00 PM

Hi Tom,you're absolutely right, my friend and thank you for your great feedback! I hope you and your loved ones are staying strong, healthy, and safe! Have a wonderful weekend! Hugs. Pandita