This was a moment
In a 500 year legacy
Where people stopped time
For justice and democracy
Declaring Black Lives Matter

The cop took a knee
To delete a Black man
From this Earth
Each groan and prayer
Collapsed the airway
Tighter until there
Was no air, no oxygen
No blood to the brain
Just a cop smirk

Tears and cries
For humanity rose desperately
The world saw it,
Everyone who looked, that is
Everyone saw a son and brother
Breathe his last breath

I cried tears of sorrow, too
Then tears of anger
Then tears of resentment
For George Floyd
For all Black men and women
Who died in police custody

He was murdered for being Black
He died because policy says
Black people are always criminals
He died because the white cop
(who could have been any race)
Followed procedure

He died because he was murdered
He died because
White supremacy
Is rooted in genocide,
Slave ships, plantations
And bloody conquests

He died because US culture
Says it's all right
He died because
Hatred and national oppression
Rule the day

He died because cops know
There will be no convictions
When cops murder

He died because he was Black
In the US that's all right
A nation full of excuses
When racist policies murder
Black men and women

Minneapolis cops are all cops
Across the nation
Racist policies
Here, there, everywhere
No more reform
Time to transform

People won't be distracted to nonsense
But unified under
A banner for justice
Unified to end
Systematic oppression
He died, they lied,
Truth lived, lifting his name
Into everyone's home

George Floyd
Say his name!
George Floyd!
George Floyd means
Justice!
George Floyd means
End oppression
George Floyd means
No more murders
Of Black men and women

No more murders
Of Raza
No more murders
Of Native People
George Floyd means
Justice!

© 2020 Joe Navarro