Coffee

cultivated from the hands of the brown
in equatorial lands
with sweat, exhaustion, and oppression
these people work-
in the fields
that our people fail to recognize

as the hot water
brew grind-ed up brown beans
it washes away their existence

piping hot black liquid
dripping into the pot-
but its strength is feared,
so we integrate it,
lessening its strength
by pouring cream,
sweetening its bitter taste

eliminating a bitter past
to achieve a better taste

we weaken what gives us strength
we weaken what gives us strength
we weaken what gives us strength