To celebrate National Poetry Month, the Kauffman Center invited creatives to participate in Artful Poetry, the Center's first poetry competition.
I wrote a piece originally called "Why Are You On My Trail." Later, I revised the title to "I Am Human."
To the neighbor of
Anthony Avalos,
Atatiana Jefferson,
Avielle Richman
Botham Jean,
To the neighbor of
Donte Robinson,
Eric Garner,
Jacai Colson,
Javier Amir Rodriguez,
Jemel Roberson,
To the neighbor of
John Rivera,
Justine Damond,
Kevin Moore,
Lolade Siyonbola,
Philando Castile,
Rashon Nelson,
To the neighbor of
Ryan White,
Sandra Bland,
Sisters of the Fairway,
Sincere Gaston
Tamir rice,
Timothy Blancher
Terence Crutcher
TO THE NEIGHBOR OF
Trayvon Martin,
To my Dear Neighbor,
Do you notice
That when we are
On our neighborhood trail
Our neighborhood badge
Badger me with questions?
Agitating the adage: “You don’t belong here.”
Agitated, I dodge the volunteer brigadier
Who would not hear my, “I belong”
Song sang like the Broadway “Rent” I paid
To walk along the walkway under six feet away
From my freshly paved, blacktop driveway
Dear Neighbor,
Do you notice how
The badgeless beard
Benjamin 'Benny' Coffin number III
Barricades, me, your neighbor–an affront
In front of my own garage?
Neighbor,
Tell them you noticed
The berating barrage
of expletives
Tell them how
I exited
This bloody mess
Triggered a loud love for the hate
His soul was holding exploded my skull
Knees buckled; He's belting
Bare knuckled bullets through my brain
Though my body barely breathes
Neighbor,
Tell them you see the fire-
Arm of his luger Heimlich maneuver
My chest pressed and soaked, throat choked,
By Beretta smoke laced with bitter Skittles’ taste
The rainbow of unalienable rights like Life,
Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness denied
Sentenced to death for attempted comply
Dear Neighbor,
At least, please capture this chapter
Let your camera phone answer the questions to leave a message
That these unchaperoned chaperones have haphazard reactions to mishaps
And happenstance keeps hap-hap-hap-hap-happening to hapless hopefuls'
Family members forever remembering crime scene photos
3 March - 7:30 PM
Neighbor, show them how I told the truth
And still, I lie
Drowning in my pool of blood
Adjacent to my pool behind
My house will be paid off from the life
Insurance check my wife collects
Neighbor,
Will you pay your respects?
I need you to notice!
Tell them you know this man
Is your neighbor now
Tell then now
Not later
Neighbor!
Will you notice?
