Gone Too Soon
A poem series exploring the aftermath of police brutality
Part One
Found in a pool of your own blood
Cops at the scene swear it was drugs
Screaming that you got a gun
Your own mind told you to run
Blue uniforms
Flashing lights
You not making it home tonight
Hope you remembered to kiss your wife
Remembered to call your mom
Paramedics race to the scene
Already flatlined
Ran out of time
Ran out of life
They watched the light dim from your eyes
Bodycam turned off
Oh well, your loss
Across town
Friday night lights
They just had kickoff
Lil’ bro running back
Gunning through holes in the defense
Looking for you in the stands
Got a lil girl crushing on him
Yesterday you told him he was the man
He wants to grow up
Just like you
Even picked the same school
You went to
Computer Science
He smart too
Better at math than you
Calculus — tutoring his teammates
He can’t find you
But he shrugs it off
Tells himself he’ll catch you after the game
80-yard touchdown
Hoping he made you proud
No clue you ain’t around
Laying on the curb
Ma can’t hear the phone ring
In the stands
Another touchdown, she cheering again
No idea you’re gone forever
Wife getting mad
Dinner’s cold
Knock at the door
Uniforms
The world stops
Crumbles- it all comes down
A heart-wrenching scream
Till nothing else comes out
