MINNEAPOLIS BURNING

There’s rioting, violence and protesting in the streets

An unarmed black man dead, couldn’t breathe 

Life snatched at the hands of crooked police

The definition of excessive force, broadcasts as the world sees

However, the root cause of the unrest is seldom appeased

But regardless is surely always followed by mention of peace

Tensions increase beyond the harsh rattle of bullets, batons and tear gas

As the National Guard is tasked to respond in battle to fight them back

The deafening angry noises of grievance won’t be easily silenced

By more needless violence to achieve compliance

Watch live another life taken, just add it to the quota

Of those long gone and those who still long for closure

Many won’t sleep tonight in Minneapolis, Minnesota 

It will be a long time before all of this is over

As we mourn one more of life’s black murdered soldiers

Police just killed a restrained and incapacitated George Floyd out in public view

We all got to watch up-close, without a thing we could do

I wasn’t there, but I read about it everywhere and saw it in the news

“I can’t breathe”, imagine it was me, imagine it was me standing watching you 

Laying breathless and helpless, unable to change your fate

Pleading with the officers who had you pinned down, before it became too late

Graphic imagery of a white police officer kneeling his weight on a black man’s neck

Who was already cuffed face down on the ground, so why that was necessary, I’ll never get

Nevertheless

I hear that he called out to his late mother with his last breath

And that a paramedic on the scene was refused permission to do a pulse check

I’ve heard police officers can’t refuse that but I don’t know enough yet

So much is done, so much is unsaid

So much is truth, yet mostly incorrect

Being black shouldn’t be a death sentence, I heard the Mayor say

And I read, George’s mother passed, 2 years ago to the day

I hope they’ll meet again together somewhere along the way

The people won’t be sleeping peacefully in Minneapolis, someone will have to pay

The city’s streets are burning as the acts of authority come under fire

Until justice is served, they’ll just keep justifying the riots

The people just want to be heard; the people are just tired 

It’s not enough whenever murdering cops are just fired

First priority is the preservation of life, says the Chief of police 

And there the blinding irony lies way beyond belief 

While the FBI and Attorneys office request for people’s patience

And more information to help assist in their investigation

to determine whether a crime has been committed

The people’s frustration decides they’ve already seen all the evidence they need

therefore, that time is not permitted

Meanwhile, two black members of the CNN press reporting live on the protests were placed under arrest

I say it in jest, but on this day, police say freedom of journalism will not be televised, I guess 

Yet the cameras keep on recording 

And the internet keeps on reporting

Reposting, forwarding, rehashing, tagging and retweeting 

Taking action on these new platforms for speaking

Sharing in this new modern era of reaching 

There once was a time 

I used to refuse to look and instead chose to hide 

From the emotions I felt from the brutality I saw that hurt me inside 

But I’ve heard and learned that the poet must not overt his eyes

Especially from the cruel sight of injustices and the images of lies

Deep down it’s all too familiar and doesn’t come as any surprise

We’ve seen and heard this inconceivable narrative play out so many countless times

Witness another unbelievable police snuff film

See the evil of another innocent black man killed 

What is it that compels someone to put his knee into a man’s neck

And hold it there until that man can no longer draw breath

Actions of a man sworn in to preserve life, as well as to serve and protect

None in Minneapolis will sleep easy amidst this period of civil unrest 

For what satisfactory justice does a wrongfully murdered black man get.

For George Floyd, unlawfully murdered by Police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States on Monday 25th May 2020 and all of the countless numbers of others everywhere who unjustly lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement. For all those who speak for them in their absence.

? Phoenix James. All rights reserved.