tears slowly roll down my cheeks
trying to make sense of the pain and anger
I felt learning how your precious life
was so viciously taken while citizens
stood by
watching…recording…begging
on your behalf
I couldn’t bear to watch
the entire video
I closed the tab
and all I could think was
how could this possibly
be real and I started to judge
them all
those who stood by
why didn’t they forcefully intervene
to meet an incomprehensible crime
with equally justifiable violence
I condemn them knowing it’s easy
to do so from afar, unable to gauge
what I would’ve done had I been there
perhaps my fear would’ve been greater than theirs
perhaps my cowardice would’ve rendered me motionless
in the face of such senseless horror
there are moments when
I feel that this must have just been
the worst nightmare
that we will wake up and that
the ending would be much different
it would be traumatic
but you would still be here
our tears flow
caressing our cheeks
knowing that the nightmare
has not ended and that
our pain cannot ever compare to yours
we carry a global guilt as we try
to reconcile what you suffered
with our inaction
knowing that in your darkest hour
we ultimately failed you
we let you perish
frightened and alone
while the world watched
our collective sorrow cannot bring you back
our collective anger cannot make right
how you were savagely wronged
you were a total stranger though somehow I felt
as if you were a good friend, but neither my sadness nor my tears
can change what happened that fateful day
I am so sorry I wasn’t there
I am so very sorry you were there
In Memoriam
Mr. George Floyd
25 May 2020
Minneapolis, USA
