A poem by Rowan McAlpin
[content warning: this piece has mention of murder, gun violence, and racism.]
he was not the first
not the last
and yet he was the one
that brought into focus
the injustice that had become
commonplace
the brutal truth is that
thousands of
men
women
children
blacks
immigrants
have been killed for no reason
at all
he brought to clarity
the world that we live in
the place
called the land of the free
in which so many people
are not free
and are counting down the days
until they are pulled over
held at gunpoint
threatened
or
pinned to the ground
by police
the people you are supposed to trust
or
kneeled on
and KILLED
the injustice
the racism
defies the human nature
he could still be alive today
if we had changed 20 years ago
even 10 years
even 3
but we didn't
and he, along with many others
payed the price
we,
you and i
again have the chance
to stand up
to protest
if everyone unites
there is hope of a better future
a future in which
blacks
whites
women
men
asians
pacific islanders
children
people
can live
not just without killing
but in harmony
in peace with one another
he, George Floyd,
doesn't have to have died
for no reason
he sparked change
it's our job to ignite it.
I am Rowan, a 14-year-old musician, programmer, and poet. I live in Seattle, Washington, which is a fairly progressive city, but we still have challenges of racial and sexual injustice. I have played guitar since I was 6 years old. I have been learning and hearing about the BLM movement, and I realized that not doing something was just as bad as contributing, so that's why I wrote this poem.