Roach

We live in a cold, heartless place-
Where people still die
for their race
Where people are denied the right to vote
because of their anatomy
below the waist
we live in a broken, lawless place
where justice is defined
by as another cold case
with crime dusted
in a layer of coke
inside jobs, 
and corrupt waste.
We live in a primal, deviant place
but we wouldn't have it any other way-
where people are judged for being unchaste-
though there's sex in and on every post
another murder,
another silenced rape
and we love every sight, and smell
and we love every taste
we live in a rough, tough place
where men hold power and women hold grace
where many of us are scared to elope
because of bigotry 
and public displays of hate
we live in a violent place
where we are desensitized at a young age
like how a toddler steps on a roach
and looks up to mother
with childlike wonder 
and says
"look, mom- I killed something today."