Sesame Street, a poem

Sesame Street

By Max Thornton

Pop pop pop.   Pull the trigger.

Pop pop pop.  Pull the trigger.

Pop pop pop.

He fired 70 rounds.  

My black son is watching Sesame street.  

Elmo says, the color of our skin is an important part of who we are.

My mother says, turn off that tv.  

Elmo says, Even though we look different, we’re all part of the human race.

My mother says, Life ain’t no Sesame Street……best he learn that now….

Sunny day

Sweepin' the clouds away

On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get

How to get to Sesame Street?

And My mother says, Life ain’t no Sesame Street……best he learn that now.

But it IS this street: 110 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina 

On this street, mother Emmanuel Church survived an antebellum ban on black churches.

On this street, this church was Burned in 1822 for its association with Denmark Vesey, a former slave who tried to organize a slave revolt…

On this street, Booker T. Washington and martin Luther king Jr spoke from the pulpit

On this street, Dylan Roof pulled the trigger……..pop pop pop.   

Pull the trigger.  I had to do it.

Pull the trigger. I had to do it.

Pull the trigger.  I had to do it.

Somebody had to.

Come and play

Everything's A-okay

Friendly neighbors there

That's where we meet

Can you tell me how to get

How to get to Sesame Street?

but My mother says, Life ain’t no Sesame Street……best he learn that now….

Too many killings on too many streets

South Orange avenue, Orlando, Florida   

at Pulse, a gay nightclub.  49 shot and killed

GAteway Blvd, El Paso texas   

At a Walmart   23 Latinos shot and killed

Burton Hills Blvd, Nashville, Tennessee

At Covenant School, 3 students and 3 teachers shot and  killed

Piedmont road Atlanta Georgia  

The Gold and Aromatherapy Spa

 6 asian women shot and  killed

Holmes Road, Brunswick Georgia 

Ahmaud Arbery, a single 25 year old man out for a jog, shot and killed

And he was black like me.

Black like me

Black like me

Dylan Roof on this street, on that street, on this street, on that street.

A Dylan Roof on the corner of every street.

It's a magic carpet ride

Every door will open wide

To happy people like you

Happy people like

What a beautiful

Sunny day

Sweepin' the clouds away

On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get

How to get to Sesame Street?

But my mother says, Life ain’t no Sesame street, best he learn that now.

But please, Can you tell me how to get to sesame street?

Can you tell me?

Can you?

Tell me how to get to sesame street.