Poetry re-post: George Floyd, Our Hearts & Now When I Put My Hand in My Pocket by Ava Tenn

GEORGE FLOYD, OUR HEARTS STILL WEAR YOUR TEARS (2021)

George Floyd, one year
Yet, it feels like today
A knee in your neck
Left you breathless
A picture unforgettable
“I can’t breathe” 
Can’t be unheard
Mama
That word 
Touched our souls
Cried with you then
Today our hearts 
Still wear your tears
Always remembered
Never forgotten
Rest In Power
My brother
BLM


"WHEN I PLACE MY HAND IN MY POCKET"

Now, when I place my hand in my pocket
I see the horrific picture of a knee in George Floyd’s neck
Now, when I place my hand in my pocket
I hear the words ‘I can’t breathe’

Now, when I place my hand in my pocket
My mind is flooded with the inerasable picture of the cold 
Evil and cruel death of my brother
Now, when I place my hand in my pocket
I can’t say I’ve never seen a man take his last breath

Now, when I place my hand in my pocket
I see the murder of all my black brothers and sisters 
Who are dead because of the color of their skin 
Now, when I place my hand in my pocket 
I am angry and I am sad 
I’m overwhelmed and I am mad

 Because for too long we have suffered at the minds 
And hands of hate, cruelty and injustice
And for too long, too much blood has been shed 
Too many bodies have been buried
Too much heartbreak have been endured
Too many mothers, too families have suffered

Now when I place my hand in my pocket
I feel no contentment, no peace, no comfort, and I cry
Because now when I place my hands in my pocket 
I see George Floyd a face my mind can’t erase 
And I hear the words I can’t unheard “please! I can’t breathe”
So now, I no longer place my hands in my pocket


Bio: Twitter: EmpressIjah2 
Ava Tenn is a Poet and Freelance Writer.
She believes that poetry can penetrate your heart and speak to your soul and with its balm it can change the world.
She has had publications in the Toronto Sun, Good News Toronto
and Planet Africa magazine. She enjoys learning, reading, dancing and helping people. Ava believes in prayer, peace and unity and creating awareness through words that inspires and motivates. When she is not writing poetry and articles, she’s writing songs wishing she could sing.
She resides in Toronto where she is currently working on her manuscript.


Poetry by Catrice Greer: Come Home

Come Home a poem for George Floyd (June 7, 2020 Catrice Greer)

These wombs, sacred,
we build placenta worlds of blood and bone
cord by cord, cells churning with life
a zygotic landscape

s .. a .. f .. e

safe from gunshots, lethal force, blue bias, blows
safe from bent-tongued accusations, chokeholds, grief
tears and pain light-years away
the amniotic sac aglow
you hear only my voice

Mommy

I walked with you, my love, my sun
floating close to my own heartbeat
tethered in the mitochondrial house
we are one
my peace, your peace

my child, to lose you to this world
that does not know you
never carried you
is not the deep-rooted tree of life I birthed
a premature exit is not the afterbirth of my labor

Call my name
when the end is near
I will come again for you
I will come again for you, my angel
my sweetness
you will reside here with me, rest in peace.
Come home.

breathe
breathe
breathe

Wolfpack Contributor: Catrice Greer

Fevers of the Mind Interview Catrice Greer w/poetry “Yearning Through the Fog” & “Cortical Cartography”

#stopthehate challenge by Anneka Chambers : NINE

blue yellow and black graffiti on wall
NINE  

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
In an instant my body is slammed to the ground
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Exclaims from the public echo all around

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I am unarmed, handcuffed and I pose no threat
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Enforcement of this kind is unlawful, do you have no mercy, nor any regret?

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I am pleading with you, please stop!
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Emotionless is the expression of every standing cop

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I lay here helplessly, one against four
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Excessively this Officer pins me to the floor

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I am in excruciating pain
Nine Minutes I Fight for Life
Explain why you have chosen my soul to claim?

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I hurt until I bleed
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Executing your act of violence, as I cry and plead

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I cannot breathe, I cannot move, I only feel
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Encourage this Officer to remove his knee, from where he kneels

Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
I am doing all I can to hold on
Nine Minutes I Fight For Life
Every cell in my being is fighting this wrong

Nine Minutes And I Will Not Survive
I love you family, colleagues and friends
Nine Minutes And I Will Not Survive
Eventually My Life Ends.

REST IN POWER GEORGE FLOYD
25.05.2020  


Bio: Anneka Chambers (she/her) is a Black British Born Londoner. She is a Poet & Social Justice advocate, currently campaigning for the rights of the Windrush Generation in the UK. Anneka’s poetry can be found in South Bank Poetry Magazine, Isa Magazine, Brave Voices and Dwelling Literary amongst forthcoming publications. Insta: @22poetrystreet   Twitter: @annekachambers


 Wolfpack Contributor: Anneka Chambers

A Fevers of the Mind Quick-9 Interview with Anneka Chambers

Poem by Anneka Chambers : Play On

#stopthehate challenge Poem for George Floyd by Catrice Greer : Come Home

George Floyd, Mural, Houston Texas
Come Home

Come Home  a poem for George Floyd (June 7, 2020 Catrice Greer) 

These wombs, sacred,
we build placenta worlds of blood and bone 
cord by cord, cells churning with life
a zygotic landscape 

s  ..  a  ..  f ..   e

safe from gunshots, lethal force, blue bias, blows
safe from bent-tongued accusations, chokeholds, grief
tears and pain light-years away
the amniotic sac aglow 
you hear only my voice 

Mommy … 
 
I walked with you, my love, my sun
floating close to my own heartbeat 
tethered in the mitochondrial house 
we are one
my peace, your peace

my child, to lose you to this world 
that does not know you 
never carried you
is not the deep-rooted tree of life I birthed 
a premature exit is not the afterbirth of my labor

Call my name
when the end is near
I will come again for you
I will come again for you, my angel 
my sweetness 
you will reside here with me, rest in peace. 
Come home.  

breathe
breathe
breathe 


Fevers of the Mind Interview Catrice Greer w/poetry “Yearning Through the Fog” & “Cortical Cartography”

#StopTheHate Poetry Challenge for Social Justice, Injustice Poetry, Essays, Rants & Unity


Bio: Catrice Greer @cgreer_greer is a poet and writer who resides in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a 2020, Pushcart Prize Nominee. In November 2020, Catrice served as a Cheltenham Poetry Festival, Poet in Residence. Catrice’s poetic work explores a range of topics about the human condition. She currently performs as a featured poetic artist or via poetry artist collectives in international virtual open mics. Her recent poems were published in Icefloe Press, the historic Afro-American Newspaper, a Phenomenal Womxn Anthology, Baltimore Health Behavioral Services art gallery, and local newsletters. She is currently working on publishing her first chapbook.