The Revolution Will Not

for Gil Scott-Heron

The revolution will not be televised.

Donald will cut no ribbon for you, shake your hand, hand you a ladder; 

Vance will not sit down with Leo,

sorry for Francis, glad to see him, glad to meet him;

take a seat for a second Erika, your husband is dead, grieve him, god damnit because

the revolution will not be televised.

Immaculate conception will no longer be holy.

Get a lawyer, don’t worry, cross that dotted line, like the 

28 aliens who got ICEd; drug dealers, rapists, their lives were crimes.

Daddies picked up on street corners, Sam’s dream was always a lie;

we want you, we need you, we’ll kill you, but what can we do,

the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not beat down on Jane Doe.

I know a Jane Doe, instagram reposts,

I see Jane, am Jane, still complain,

they were just boys, so young, so smart, held tongues for

57 good men or a million monsters. Why bother?

The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not give you a buzz or free you from sin;

will not make this night a movie,

will not have common side effects of depression, anxiety, and/or death. Besides,

the revolution will not forget your face

when buildings fall and shabby tents rise;

will not stare, pray, scream, or cry.

The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not make America great again;

wear red hats, storm the white house, spit on my blouse,

nor will wear blue jeans, foaming at the mouth

to call their brother an imbecile, popping pills

and bulldozing brown neighborhoods in the name of efficiency.

No cameras on brown mothers weeping at their knees,

the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not show up on your screens,

whether that be phones, computers, billboards, tvs,

maybe even just the eyes of your sisters telling you they are scared, and please,

where is their camera? Where is their plea?

Where is this revolution of which you all speak?

I am so sick of this violent need

before God, who is me, and you, and we

are responsible for this blessed tragedy. But don’t wait up.

The revolution will not be televised.