Kneel for Justice, Call for Change

I can’t breathe, no response
I cannot breathe, choked up
by the arm of the law
taken in its hands, took a knee
Eric Garner to George Floyd
and every life in between
cries for help, moments of silence, set free
frustration and appeal for justice
a final plea falling on deaf ears
cannot bear the reality, cannot unsee

innocence taken, guilty for being black
words have not sufficed so we act
demand changes that go further
than one man, charged with murder
societal structures burning to the ground
before building something better
smoke signifies people’s fire
using our voices to take a stand
for those oppressed and kept down
Martin, Taylor, Michael Brown

peaceful protests can never be quiet
powerful words, riots the language of the unheard
will not stop to hear a sentence
will not march to hear a speech
will speak, scream if we have to
until a child’s call for his mother
reaches the hearts and minds
of cops who commit a crime
we gather, teach lessons until you listen and learn
black lives matter, to whoever it may concern