Art of Corruption

Art of Corruption

Lifeless men. Black
paint spilled off my palette.

Splattered on the floor.
Blood-stained.

An overtly orchestrated incident.
And they want you to see.

They want you to see their strokes
The invasion of their blueprint.

The strangulation of surrounding colors.
The silencing of voices.

Bodies exhumed for politics.
History comes full circle.

Officers on guard assuming.
Paintbrushes lined up,

ready to be washed and 
reused for another dark portrait.

For another protest.
For another black face.

For another fatherless baby.
For mother Africa.

To retain law and order
And uphold racial anarchy–

Will I need a new palette?
Or a new canvas?

Amber Lane is an English graduate from Exeter University. She writes for both her online website NEJE and her Instagram page @nejenotes_. She has also published articles for online magazines such as Myxogny. Amber is Nigerian, Dutch, and Irish, and she draws inspiration from her diverse roots. Her writing draws on personal lived experiences, encapsulating the beauty of free creative ecstasy. In addition to writing, Amber enjoys singing and writing music.

Artwork by Myriam Louise Taleb