#YourNameHere

 I wrote this poorly structured poem last week and it has taken me that amount of time to muster up the courage to post it. I decided this message is more important than my comfort. I wrote this for the unarmed black men, women, and children who have been or will be killed by policemen. Believe it or not, you and I could be next. This is for the ones who never got to share their side of the story. This is also for the people who think that simply abiding by the law and being a good citizen will put a safety bubble around you. Unfortunately, in America, the black person has had a target on his/her back from the beginning.

I’m walking at night in my neighborhood

I’m wearing sweats because it’s cold

He’s walking in front of me

He’s walking fast, I’m walking slow

Only two more streetlights to go

Here’s the first one

He looks back

That was strange

Here’s the second one

BLAST!

What was that? Oh my goodness, what is this?!

I’m hit! I just got shot, I can’t believe it!

They’re going to say my phone looked like a gun

They’ll say my keys were a weapon

Whatever it is, they’ll say it so this white man seems innocent and I won’t get justice

But, I didn’t do ANYTHING! They won’t believe me. A corpse can’t say anything

They’ll say I charged at him or that my appearance was threatening

Anything to prove his prejudice, ignorance, and intolerance are all innocent

He’ll go off free, I’ll die right here

One streetlight away from home

They won’t care about my family’s tears

Now I’m another hashtag