There have been so many deaths that have taken
place across the nation, so many innocent black lives
taken from this world by corrupt police officers,
utter hatred against our black race, downplaying
our creativity and intelligence, silencing our voices
before we can even speak.  What did we ever do
to you for you to destroy our ancestry and dreams?
What is it about the color of our skin that makes us
a target in your eyes?  Why must you continue
kneeling your legs on our backs?  It’s a solid fact
that you want to see us crack wide open like
a broken bridge, drowning in our own misery
as you incessantly laugh at us.  We don’t
understand the meaning of your cruel language,
your immense diction of darkened depths.
We can see that you have your hands tight
around our throat, applying heavy pressure,
our breaths lessening, attempting to speak,
“We can’t breathe.”  But you aren’t listening to us.
The only sound that you can hear is your own voice
yelling, “Shut up. Stop resisting arrest. Stay down.
lay your filthy head on the ground.”  Can’t you see
that we are already lying down?  Why must you try
to constantly provoke us so that you can only ******
us in the end?  And everything falls back on us for
resisting arrest.