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Justice Is Dead

My day was filled with sadness
The pain of depression has me down
It's taking control of my happiness
I'm slowly losing my ability to walk
Sigh! It's no fun either.

A new video has surface
Another unarmed black man shot
surrounded by police with rifles drawn
wrangles in pain while dying in a pool of blood.

A crowd gathers shouting "what are you doing"
Cursing screaming about the injustice they're discerning
A white lady in utter dismay dials her cellphone
Others just video the tragic event.

One woman tries to get to him, gets pushed back
She falls to her knees rocking
leaning on the chain barrier
between her and officers.

Slowly dying
Like a deer hit by a car
First responders came, checked for signs of life.

The crowd gathers
More cops appear on the scene
Trying to hold back the growing crowd.

The inhuman treatment of this man
Feels like terrorism.

Seeing a man wounded
dying in the middle of the street
as if road kill...
is terrorism
Justice is dead.

Editing stage: 

Comments

I thought this specific piece can make use of telling more.
I understand savagery, but can't see how it is related to terrorism.
Maybe adding one more stanza before this last to show or tell about
that (dying) man, would give a better scene.

Some morning thoughts.... Oh! Do you think I need some more coffee to wake up?

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Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
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No you good. Savagery is vague here. Great suggestion.

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This piece missed the mark for putting over the whole action that happened to the man.
These actions most times sanctioned by the ruling class do nothing to retain the Nation as a viable working system, this needs to be put over better.
I am sad that these things happen, if only the solution could be brought about without more deaths, I usually stay away from these poems or writes as I can do nothing to change your world.
While people just mill around screaming both men and women, there will be no solution to this shooting.
In your democracy you have to follow the rules there and use the rules to solve your problems.
Running riot and screaming on the streets only lets the system that may be wrong, win, take the wrong doers and use their system to bring justice to the people.
Sorry that this young man has been killed, I wonder if you all used the rules, would there be satisfaction to all sides..
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

You have no idea. You can't use a system that's designed to works against you to solve this kind of problem. These murders lately has lifted the lid off the oppression some ppl are going through for generations. Mothers and fathers realized there's no future for boys if things continue as they are. The uprise has begun all over America and blacks are using the system in place to bring attention and try solve this critical issue. It's not as easy as what you said here:
"In your democracy you have to follow the rules there and use the rules to solve your problems.
Running riot and screaming on the streets only lets the system that may be wrong, win, take the wrong doers and use their system to bring justice to the people."

Ppl say we are running riots and screaming on the street but that is not all true. There is no justice for these families. All eyes will be open to the going on in the earth says the bible.

That killing happen 2 yrs ago. In 2014 this is happening on a daily bases at an alarming rate. Talking, telling kids how to interact with police no longer works. Those innocent youths, mostly 25 and under. knowing the law and for the most part stay out of trouble are the ones being harass, arrested, brutality beaten, gunned down at an alarming rate. The war on drugs has turned to a war on black families.

After 400 yrs of this kind of treatment the melting pot of America is boiling over and the lid has been lifted. It's traumatizing when these things keep happening and you have an assault rifle in your face because you running to a love one who's life has been ended with AK rifles. Watching helplessly as a 18 yr old, high school graduate, college bound in two days, with national award medals lay dead in the streets for 4 hours two weeks ago in Ferguson Missouri was the peaking point. He was unarmed, walking home from the store. He has no criminal record. A video release to criminalized him shows he paid for purchase, but was used to accused him of stealing cigars. Five eye witnesses corroborates his insane unprovoked killing.

The justice system can't work for you but aganist you when ppl refuse to believe and so try to convince you that what's happening to you do not exist or you caused it on your self by being as they say "f–ing animals" and "I'll kill you" when all you doing is exercising you right to a peaceful protest like the tea baggers, gays, abortion activist, animal lovers, gun activists, etc. etc. etc.
You have no idea.

Put over better. I've no idea what you mean by that. Any suggestion?

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The news broadcast here in the UK was a lot more than I was told you saw in the States, The system will only show you what they want you to see..
I thought your poem was a little soft on the reality of the bad situation.
Maybe I should as I usually do try to not comment on these things.
I lived in South Africa for twelve years and the outside world were only told what they wanted to hear each time something happened out there, a lot of it distorted truths but we have no control over these government offices of propaganda, no matter which country they are in.
Other countries decried the South African system, of separate education and the old way of running the country out there then as it improved they retained the old thoughts.
One of the main countries that was against the South Africans was the States, now I look around here and in the states and what do I see, here in the UK we have separate schools for Islamic children and others as they feel fit to make them.
The States is now feeling the brunt of those 400 years of oppression and they turn around and blame everyone apart from their own government.
We have food banks here now, can you believe it after all these years away from the soup kitchens we have them back again.
One of the richest countries in the world, I wonder who benefits from the richness, we can send 500 million pounds a year to India yet can't make sure all our own children have a home and food.
I give up, as I said, I am glad I am this age I don't have to see the final result of the last hundreds of years.
Take care and have a great day, Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

This poem is just one moment in time.. It's a snapshot from what I see and experience not necessarily how another seeing the same event would view it. It's what I saw and what it means to me. The problem is what it is. And everybody sees it from their own understanding especially based on what they want their truth to be.

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There's a spelling error in the 3rd stanza, line 3. It is supposed to be "slowly (dying)"

I've read the comments here and I do agree that this piece might need to be elaborated a bit. Maybe describing the victim more, the age and a bit of his background to make the savagery done upon him stands out more.
If I could suggest, maybe you can change the title to emphasize more on the system which has turned against the people in your community. To me, terrorism is more on a larger scale, involving more than a single community and usually seen as a targeting the whole nation. I might be wrong but after reading your replies to Ian, I think what you want is to convey a message more on the corrupted system and what it has caused.

My suggestion for the title is "Dead Justice". errr, you might want to change the ending too, something like how the people in your community mourn for the dead and how you all wish there is real justice and not fabrications for everyone to provide equality for all. I will end it with " Are we not humans too?" but that is me. I am no real expert in poetry, just a struggling student here.

You can take my suggestions or ignore them. In the end, this is your poem, not mine. I'm just the extra bit here.lol.

Alid

Your suggestions sounds reasonable. I'll see i can do.

"Maybe describing the victim more, the age and a bit of his background to make the savagery done upon him stands out more." I saw this on a cellphone video from cursing outrage mourning onlookers traumatized at what they jeered seeing. All I know for sure is the race and the policemen keeping the crowd from wanting to help him back with their presence as a barricade.

As for the title I agree. Justice is Dead sounds reasonable.
Justice has for a while had negate imbalance for race of people. But in these cases justice is dead.

"To me, terrorism is more on a larger scale, involving more than a single community and usually seen as a targeting the whole nation." That has been and is true. But today the fight against terror is in a small town within a state among all the United States. A house divided can not stand. This is the melting pot of many races of ppl coming together to form one body, one house America. If justice divides it's members or cut off certain body members the whole house or body suffers. Let's say, a man or woman stands tall beautifully but decided it just doesn't need the little toe and cause it much injury, would the body still be able to balance itself? The little to is terrorized because it it feels it's has no value to the rest of the body.

"As you I might be wrong but after reading your replies to Ian, I think what you want is to convey a message more on the corrupted system and what it has caused. The world we live in is corrupt. This system is imperfect and it can't possibly help all its people equally, so some gonna, will be at a disadvantage.

"you might want to change the ending too, something like how the people in your community mourn for the dead and how you all wish there is real justice and not fabrications for everyone to provide equality for all. I will end it with " Are we not humans too?" but that is me. I am no real expert in poetry, just a struggling student here." You got this right on and I'll see how I can convey this more.

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racism is poison. I know that very well. I am fortunate that in Singapore, we don't have to worry about it. Anyone who tried to promote racism in any manner will be dealt with by law. This is not to say that it doesn't exist, it is very much under control. one european expat has racist comment here and he got the scolding from one of the ministers, lost his job and was forced to leave. We cannot afford to have it here within our multiracial nation.

Alid

Glad to hear that.

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It's a sad fact that there are still remnants of the bad old days . The most frustrating thing about the event you described is the lack of details being released. All the conflicting reports. Apparently the victim had just robbed a store. (hardly just cause to kill him and the officer involved apparently was unaware of the theft anyway). There are reports that the victim attacked the officer. There are reports he didn't. there are stories of injuries sustained by officer at hands of the victim. And the investigation just drags on and on. Which gives the race baiters on both sides more and more time to keep things inflamed. What a damned mess.
But let's assume the worst, that the officer apparently gunned the victim down for no cause (which I doubt). Does that give an excuse for people to loot the stores in their own neighborhood? Or to throw Molotov cocktails at police?
Throughout time the most effective strategies for achieving justice within a society have been peaceful. Look at Ghandi or King ,who when Malcom X was calling for armed rebellion, instead called for peaceful protest. And it worked. It's not a pleasant thing to say, but the racial problems here which could be solved by legislation have already been solved and the laws already passed. It will take that greatest healer, time, for a lot of the old attitudes to fade into the past. And I know that's no comfort for the present.

But we can both recall the KKK operating openly and white only stores and rest rooms.I vividly recall inviting a black team mate to go with me to a local pastry shop to nab a few doughnuts after practice. And the old bat owner telling us that this just won't do. I never went back. So things Are getting better. Perhaps what's needed is the time for people like you and I who recall the worst of it on a personal lever to fade into the past. And with us the memories. New memories could then be made of better times to come.

Now to the poem. I know this was written in anger but you need to check for some grammar errors.And I've never seen anybody draw a riffle on anybody else lol. (they'd get wet hands trying). Your last stanza which should be the high point of the poem needs a bit of work. As it is now you're saying that Seeing the man die is terrorism. If that's what you mean then fine but I don't think that's what you're trying to convey.............stan

Conversation with Stan. .
I appreciate you viewpoint. I have heard it a 1000x and hearing it a 1000+1x coming from you is welcome.
"It's a sad fact that there are still remnants of the bad old days." I would differ in that though their are similarities from the bad old days that I only know from pictures, talks, and videos, but didn't experience in such a horrible negate way, is not the same today. I think the issues then was a about inequality of life in the black community compared to the white community.
Today I think it's not that cut and dry for everybody. It's the injustice in the police forces across all America, who is suppose to protect its citizens, that's being put in the spotlight. Fair or not, it is what it is.

"The most frustrating thing about the event you described is the lack of details being released. All the conflicting reports." This is true, since Zimmerman case everything now gets tried in the media before the eyes of the entire earth and not in a court room as you would expect.

"Apparently the victim had just robbed a store. (hardly just cause to kill him and the officer involved apparently was unaware of the theft anyway)." We don't believe he robbed the store and he has no criminal record that's been reported or release because the video shows he went to the counter to pay then left.
There seems to be two separate videos, one of him shopping, buying cigars and one of him pushing a guy who seems to have a problem with him leaving the store I'm not sure what bc the store owner didn't call police either time..

"There are reports that the victim attacked the officer. There are reports he didn't. there are stories of injuries sustained by officer at hands of the victim. And the investigation just drags on and on." We don't don't what's in the unreleased investigations. We do know of stories and reports from the media talking if if if this is the case, not here's the picture of Wilson face being beaten so badly. Until There's a picture or video of Wilson's face released by police (and I've seen both) just like as pictures and video of brown buying cigars and a store owner being problematic release to public, I tend to not believe Wilson's story until his proof has been release. You're right these stories drag on and on without any proof.

"Which gives the race baiters on both sides more and more time to keep things inflamed. What a damned mess." Yes a real mess indeed.

"But let's assume the worst, that the officer apparently gunned the victim down for no cause (which I doubt)." I doubt it too. He had a reason). "Does that give an excuse for people to loot the stores in their own neighborhood? Or to throw Molotov cocktails at police?" There's no excuse I totally agree. Come to find out those looting and throwing Molotov cocktails are out of towners. 78 ppl arrested (4 from ferguson) on the worse night were out of towners looking to blurred the lines between peaceful protesters and trouble makers who hoped to make it look like the people were looting stores in their own neighborhood.

I'm a news junkie. I watched every moment of this and still catching up on the after mass reports. Ferguson is 90% black, poor, unemployed, middle class and high status people of minorities.
The state is divided by race. That's a recipe for disaster. MichealBrown and TrayvonMartin wasn't gang related trouble making children from poor black single families without a dad.
I don't think the outrage wouldn't have gotten this much attention if the boys was a problem in their community. EricCanter wasn't getting this kind of attention, but is now bc of the Brown case. These three are the faces for a new movement " stop the violence" "justice for all" "hands up, don't shoot" "we are human not animals". As the three events come together for a cry for justice to be fair there will be talks.

Justice is not perfect so fairness will be imbalanced, but justice is dead for these boys and men who's death is causing a uprise to come front and center.

"Throughout time the most effective strategies for achieving justice within a society have been peaceful. Look at Ghandi or King ,who when Malcom X was calling for armed rebellion, instead called for peaceful protest. And it worked." Yes it worked then, but injustice by police has caused a new movement to be born. This type of injustice had scarred many for generations and will for generations to come.

" It's not a pleasant thing to say, but the racial problems here which could be solved by legislation have already been solved and the laws already passed. It will take that greatest healer, time, for a lot of the old attitudes to fade into the past.
And I know that's no comfort for the present. "Not so unpleasant for me to here, but it is uncomfortable at the present, but then so is the knife of a much desired surgeon. Things must happen for things to get better. This is because I know and believe only "the greatest healer" as you say, will do just that.

As for "time" and for "a lot of the old attitudes to fade into the past" its been enough time pass, I think, over the last 400 years since the entry of Africans into America and the growth of America's melting pot up to these last days for those attitudes to have fade. But we see they've been passed down through generations and generations just to rise up again.
Just as diseases go into submission or dormant is simply inactive, those attitudes were inactive. Just as a bear in a cave hibernating is not dead those attitudes never died.

"But we can both recall the KKK operating openly and white only stores and rest rooms.I vividly recall inviting a black team mate to go with me to a local pastry shop to nab a few doughnuts after practice. And the old bat owner telling us that this just won't do. I never went back. So things Are getting better." I was born in the 60s and have no adverse memories of this.
Our parents had us sheltered from this and didn't take us into town where we would be disrespected. We were taught to stay in our proper place.

Dad and mom was a force shield for us. He dealt with what you described bc at times he'd vent but I didn't understand is anger bc we were treated good except on two occasion.
As a young child we were accused of playing in the house the farm owner house and breaking something. We got fussed at for the sake of the lying girl but dad and mom told me from aside we know. From then on I put that attitude in ppl in one part of my brain and focus on white ppl didn't act that way.

We were raised to respect white people with the utmost respect, but not to accept disrespect just walk away while he was confrontational. Lol
We were so well mannered whites treated us well. We thought we were privilege and couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. We were invited to grow up in the white trailer park. This man dad worked for, though racist, even build us a house on his property so we could up grow up privilege, but dad turned down both offers.. I met this guy again a little while ago and he still mad at my dad and told me dad was wrong for not letting us grow up in the white neighborhood. Lol. He asked how was he? I said we taking of him. He just looked at me and shook his head.

My dad overheard his wife say we ran to her car like a bunch of!! when she brought us gifts every year for Christmas. The store owner apparently gave her a hint my dad was behind her so she stop right there. The cuss out her husband got of the century. We were told never ever do that again. If anybody came just one go. Smh.
We lived our lives now and then knowing who we are and who whites are.

I didn't understand real racism until now. It's still shocking for me to understand why ppl treat each other this way. I knew of prejudice bc I am prejudice we grew up that way, but I've always love and accept people as they are. But this racism and injustice today has me baffled and confused in total dismay that ppl could treat each other that way. I don't think ppl are actually as bad as the things they do.

There is a evil influencing this attitude today and only a higher power can and will eradicate it.

"Perhaps what's needed is the time for people like you and I who recall the worst of it on a personal lever to fade into the past. And with us the memories. New memories could then be made of better times to come."

It's the good memories from those memories and the ones we could make that I reflect on that keeps my inner peace and friends like you that remind me not all ppl do or have done bad things like this and that.

"Now to the poem. I know this was written in anger"
No, not anger, but pain to see a human treated as a wounded animal allowed to die in the street. One bright moment; he died knowing ppl came running to his rescue, but was blocked off by bodies of police.

"And I've never seen anybody draw a riffle on anybody else lol. (they'd get wet hands trying).
Lol. Neither have I. But these cellphone videos are graphic.

I'll get those darn spelling errors. And I'll see how I can tweak the last stanza. Any suggestions?

"As it is now you're saying that Seeing the man die is terrorism. If that's what you mean then fine but I don't think that's what you're trying to convey."
After meditating I think you're right. It is what I mean, but it don't works well at all. I think it should convey "the act of injustice perpetrated on this man and others by police" regardless of the crime if any.

I don't know in this man's case bc it's a two year old video found by my nephew who said he getting tired of finding them. Lol. I didn't research for article on this one so I don't know anything about his case.

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author comment

Hope it's better conveyed. Just a bit of what I'm feeling in a simple little poem.

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as if road kill
is terrorism......either that or put a comma between the two thoughts in order to keep them from running together.

For some reason i thought you were close to my age (60). I was a sophomore in high school when desegregation occurred. So I am of the age in which the worst of the segregation was coming to an end and the worst of the civil unrest was taking place. I suspect these times are almost impossible to convey to one who didn't live them.
And you are correct that the racial divide is being made worse by people of ill will who see personal advantage in the continuation of racial friction. Many politicians think they'll gain votes by keeping a climate of victimization going. So they are quick to fan any fire which can be construed as racism. The police violence thing does appear to be increasing but it is also increasing against white people. But that doesn't make for good headlines nor does it garner minority votes. I personally think that the members of the police forces consider themselves to be surrounded by the "bad guys". They see their fellow officers killed or assaulted and the perps. getting off on technicalities .So they get where they think the only safe assumption is to assume the worst of everybody. And there is So much crime. It is a cold hearted thing to say but the wonder is that with all the interactions between police and the general pubic , of all races, that More incidents such as happened in Ferguson More police shooting don't take place. Simple math would indicate that mistakes are bound to happen. Something needs to be done which will change the relationship between police and the public in general and minority men in particular. Perhaps the answer is as simple as getting the economy up and running as it should. This would result in more job openings for everybody and less despair among the black young men who have born the brunt of this stagnant economy. And in places like Ferguson a few more black policemen would seem in order . I mean,60% black population but 95% white police force? Surely that needs to be adjusted and surely there Are some candidates outside the white populace who could qualify for the police academy. Heck, if people would just Talk to one another it would help lol.....stan

Well said. I agree the change works better. I was in the 5 or 6 grade when school was desegregated. By the time I got to high school still intellectually segregated (white prom-black prom, white queen-black queen, white pep rallies-black pep rallies) , but exist without this kind of violence.

I heard separate black- white activities ended after I left in 79 causing the principal to quit bc he wasn't having it. I had the experience of different school atmospheres 1-7 grades all black classes. 8-11 grade in majority black, and I counted, about 10 whites. Then a white school where blacks and white equally matched in my señor year but separated activity wise.

Everybody got along white to them self black to them self. Today it's not like. Black and white interact more which is good thing. Problem is the unjust way police deal with people in general more so against blacks. And as you said politics.

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author comment

the last stanza 2nd line you misspelled the word "dying". Other than that I'd say this sounds more better. Thank you for sharing.

Alid

Thanks I'll make the change.

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Thanks I'll make the change.

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been dead for a long time. Racism has and will always be the scourge of this planet. How lonely it must be to experience the process of dying in a pool of your own blood when savages just look on and prevent other people from coming to your aid. This world is filled with hypocrites and cowards.

Warm regards

Leonard Daranjo

"When the waiting stops, the living begins"

Thanks for reading and sharing. You said it best.

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Goodness me! I agree with Leonard - one wonders what is a terrorist? - is it not someone who terrorises? if so it seems to me you are correct - the police are indeed terrorists ( Bullies also applies ). Only these bullies have the law on their side, a lethal cocktail ripe for injustice. It is sad that those who are supposed to serve and protect end up being the worst kind of criminals! with little or no restraint or humanity.

This is a powerful poem - my blood was boiling when I read it!

Love Mand xxxx

Thanks for reading Mand. You have absolutely discern my understanding of terrorism. It is not just that which is done against a nation of ppl . It's also the unjust brutality against any human regardless of race, culture, or faith.

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Trying to hold(s) back the growing crowd

I can't add to what has already been said, but as is my wont I can point out a typo. The above needs to lose the "s".
The subject is a hard one to tackle. You gave it "justice".

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Thanks, I do appreciate the grammar/spellcheck. I'm going to check out your new workshop.. I'll see if I have the time to,join. If not I hope to check in for some vital knowledge on the subject. I'll write stories. But storytelling is art form I've yet to muster.

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