Respectability

We ask our children

to act calm/nervous/whatever

innocent looks like when

some cop shows his badge/pulls his gun/slows his car.

We beg kids

to say soft yes sirs.

We beg kids

to get on the hood of that car/empty their pockets/shut up/put your hands behind your head.

No is an existential threat.

No is an existential threat.

No is an existential threat.

No is an existential threat.

Never is an existential threat.

Never is an existential threat.

Never is an existential threat.

Never is an existential threat.

We dare ask for humility

in the face of this oppression?

We have no idea what the threat feels like,

but we know

Breonna

Rekia

Sandra

Nia

Bettie

Yvette

Miriam

Shereese

Ahmaud

Trayvon

Eric

Laquan

Michael

Philando

Stephon

Alton

Amadou

Akai

Quintonio

Rumai

John

Jordan

Jonathan

Reynaldo

Kendrec

Ramarley

Kenneth

Robert

Walter

Terence

Freddie

Samuel

George

Tamir

and more

and more

and more

There’s no open wrist declaring our innocence that will confer peace

where innocents need.

Our children

stand in front of doors/pages/words/in the streets.

They shut down/they shut down/they shut down

the forces that burn against them.