Response

Emmet Till
Jimmy Lee Jackson
Sheyann Webb
James Meredith
Fred Hampton

my friend
          my ears vibrate
with resounding thunder
          of outstretched fists
and body
          revolt
from steel shackles
          of white whipped words

thin lips drip the salt of
          earth-rimmed
          nails
and field sweat

I am constricted by
          vapors
of
          semantical excrement

and feel tight
coagulated crimson
          of leather lashed neck
cords
          and water hosed
shrapnel knees

          I see the
deep blackness
of your skin wanting
to step inside
wearing it
like
          a new
mother's
          hug
shielding images
of dangling
          feet
with
    bottoms
as white as
the flesh
that
          tied
the
knot