We pushed on the wall
with both hands,
and it fell down.
We were surprised
that the mortar didn’t hold.
As it fell before our eyes,
we were reminded
that evil kingdoms fall,
and he said,
“I can’t breathe.
Momma, they are killing me.”
I see clouds in the night
and they hurt my eyes,
because God’s storm
is finally coming
to set things right,
and to heal the evils
done to innocent people,
in His name,
and set afire
the white cloaks
of hateful midnight riders,
and with their own wicked ropes,
choke them, until
they, themselves
die.
There will be peace
in the stillness
of the after-night.
He said, “I can’t breathe,”
and then he died.
Murdered.
Tonight,
in his afterlife,
with him, I will ride,
and if, along the way,
I can heal those old pains,
I will wash his feet
and hold his hands,
and set aside
my own life
to close the wounds
that those old evils made.
©️ CG Tenpenny, 2020.
I wrote this last year, upon learning of George Floyd’s murder. I hope for justice in these last few minutes before the verdict is read.
Intense piece.
It hurt me to write. It still hurts.
I can tell. It hurt to read it. But… we SHOULD be uncomfortable. If we aren’t… where is our humanity?
I regret saying anything about how I feel. It’s not about me and I was distracted. Your rhetorical question is acknowledged. Indeed, where is our humanity?
The thing is, saying that, acknowledging this hurts…. is real. You have a heart and a conscious. To me, that did not take away from the message… in fact, it made it even more real. You’re the best.
Thank you