History? and All Lives Matter were written in a state of alarm and distress in 2020 about the beloved place of my birth. 

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All Lives Matter coincided with the death of George Floyd and the renewed prominence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement amongst politicians and the media in the United States.

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YouTube readings of both poems, "History?" and "All Lives Matter" available here:  

https://youtu.be/6kQXfrNRkis

(All Lives Matter appears at 3 minutes 23seconds)

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All Lives Matter

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By Fahim

Muscat, June, 2020

 

BLM friends
you forcefully spoke
And now at last
the sleepers awoke


Home of the Brave
Land of the Free
Now ready and willing
to take the knee


Expressing outrage,
screaming their views,
BUT WHY IS INDIA
NOT NIGHTLY NEWS?


"Incredible India"
say the Tourism Board
All their lies,
a scandalous fraud


The slaughter of Muslims
daily increases,
14 year old Christian
chopped into pieces


The hundreds in jail
include a lady expecting,
Their crime no more
than the act of protesting


Lynchings are not
just a Klan preserve
It's what many in India
are believed to deserve


And did you know also
that under attack
Are Africans and Siddis
Lives that are Black


So congressman, journalists
wake up for us too
Force the killing to stop
there's so much you can do


Don't say you can't
or worse, that you won't
Yes, All Lives Matter
But in India, they DON'T