With Masks Upon Their Faces and Leaf​-​Blowers In Their Hands

It’s been two months now since that cop took a knee
Like a knee upon the neck of a whole society
Folks rose up all over starting there in the midwest
The National Guard came in upon the governor’s request
Wherever people took the streets, riot cops attacked
Shooting folks in their faces and their backs
Flooding streets with tear gas, see how the people stand
With masks upon their faces and leaf-blowers in their hands

There have been drive-by shootings, and weaponizing trucks
That the death count’s what it is so far is partly up to luck
And partly up to barricades used to block the way
So folks might live to fight another day
That is, if they’re not killed by agents of the state
Like the ones who came to Portland to make America great
To face a rainbow nation that says screw your White Homeland
With masks upon their faces and leaf-blowers in their hands

As they kidnap people off the streets here in the Global North
As the tear gas billows, the poison belches forth
As those who would be dictators make their power play
As people from all over town face them down and say
We don’t want police – a better world can be built
Perhaps it starts with someone’s hand upon the hilt
Making tornadoes out of tear gas, maybe not what mama planned
With masks upon their faces and leaf-blowers in their hands