The Evidence (A Poem for Mike Brown)
There was a gun There was a cop There was a Black boy The Black boy had no gun The Black boy had His skin His breath His hands The Black boy had enough To make the cop afraid The Black boy ran The Black boy ran The Black boy ran The cop chased The cop was not chased The cop chased the Black boy The cop had a gun a badge a car The cop had authority On who deserved to be chased The cop had fear It leaned into his car Ugly words all in its mouth Strong arms bruising his thinking About the boy The cop said The kid’s hands were thieves The kid’s hands were violent The kid’s hands were the first to make the gun go off The cop says the kid Forgot what skin he was in What cops have done to boys like him With less provocation They say the witnesses Told stories That couldn't walk a straight line They say that evidence Doesn't change They s