A fly, buzzing around the room

She exists because of her sound

For if she emitted no hum, 

Who would know she is there?

Your thoughts consume her noise 

A swipe of the hand and she leaves for a moment 

When she returns, the buzzing continues

However the busying continues as well

Until the fly lands on your arm

And all of a sudden, her noise consumes your thoughts 

Now, the fly is more than a sound

Now, the fly is the sensation

Now, the fly is real. 

There is a problem in this country 

It exists because of its outcries

For if no one cried out about it,

Who would know it was there?

You don’t pay attention 

Your thoughts consume it's noise

And go back to your banal routine

That doesn’t remove the issue

The outcries are now louder than ever

However your cycle remains uninterrupted

Until the problem reaches your town

Now, the problem is more than a sound

Now, the problem is the sensation 

Now, the problem is real. 

Trayvon Martin, Florida 

Elijah McClain, Colorado

Breonna Taylor, Kentucky

George Floyd, Minnesota

Robert Fuller, California

Malcolm Harsch, California

Toyin Salau, Florida

Riah Milton, Ohio

Dominique Fells, Pennsylvania

These souls and many more souls should have been significant to me beyond the outcries of their destruction which so disturbed my selfish, mundane existence

It wasn’t until the death of

Marcus Carr, Nevada