Project Description
'another was murdered….words again escape me as i try to make sense of death and retribution'
my breath catches in my throat
as the continuity of life
is abruptly disrupted.
again.
as i sat down to write
a poem about my slain brothers
and sisters.
(and sisters).
another was murdered.
i watched live streams
of black souls gathering in berkeley,
missouri to rally against
the destruction of black life
and debasing of black humanity.
a woman screamed once,
twice,
three times until someone pulled her away.
her screams echoed in my ears
until they were all i heard.
i was not there,
but i was there.
i did not just witness
their rage,
i lived it.
words again escape me as i try
to make sense of death and retribution
of revolution and silence.
but i am not sure
that there is a way to make sense
of such things.
how do you live
when you know
that your unborn child
is one bullet away from becoming
a trending hashtag?
why do you live
when you know
that your unborn child
is one bullet away from becoming
a trending hashtag?
i’m not sure
how to make you understand
what a tragedy it is
that i could not finish a poem
before another of us
was killed.
i am losing sleep,
while others are losing lives.
Jailyn Gladney is currently a student at Boston University pursuing a degree in Sociology and African American Studies. Raised in Savannah, Georgia but currently based in Boston she uses the written word as her preferred tool for enacting social change and achieving social justice. Jailyn’s family and community are of the utmost importance to her..
“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do it because what the world needs are people who have come alive” ~ Howard Thurman
This piece was reprinted by EmpathyEducates with permission or license. We sincerely thank the Author, Jailyn Gladney for her kindness, vision, sensitivity and her enduring spirit. We are grateful for the thoughts and feelings expressed as well for what we believe invites a truer, empathetic discussion.”
