There It Is
And if we don’t fight
if we don’t resist
if we don’t organize and unify and
get the power to control our own lives
Then we will wear
the exaggerated look of captivity
the stylized look of submission
the bizarre look of suicide
the dehumanized look of fear
and the decomposed look of repression
forever and ever and ever
And there it is
-Jayne Cortez, from Firespitters
With apologies to the great poet Jayne Cortez (who died late last year). I edited her poem “Give me the Red on the Black of the Bullet” with the name of Trayvon Martin (and details of his case) in the place of Claude Reece Jr. Cortez’ poem, written in the 1970s, was dedicated to Reece Jr., a 14 year-old victim of police violence. Had Cortez lived, being the political fire spitter that she was, I am sure that she would have written a poem honoring Trayvon.
GIVE ME THE RED ON THE BLACK OF THE BULLET
(For Trayvon Martin)
Bring back the life
Of Trayvon Martin
I want the bullet from his chest
To make a Benin bronze
To make an explosion of thunder
To make a cyclone
I want the 17 years of Trayvon Martin
Shot on the 26th day of February
Shot in his chest
Shot by a “wanna be” police officer
Shot for being black
Give me the black on the red of the bullet
I want to make a tornado
To make an earthquake
To make a fleet of stilts
For the blackness of Trayvon Martin
The blackness called dangerous weapon
Called resisting arrest
Called nigger threat
I want the life of the blackness of Trayvon Martin
I want the bullet from his chest
To make a protective staff for startled children
To make hooks and studs
For warrior masks
Give me the bullet with the odor
And the smoke and the skin and
The hair of Trayvon Martin
I want to make power
To make power
For the blackness of Trayvon Martin
The blackness called pent-up frustration
Called unidentified negro
Called nigger revolutionary
I want the life of the blackness of Trayvon Martin
I want the bullet from his chest
To make a protective staff for startled children
To make a Benin bronze
To make an explosion of thunder
To make a cyclone
I want the bullet to bring back the blood
Of Trayvon Martin
I want to make justice
I want to make justice for
The blackness of Trayvon Martin
Bring back the bullet with the blood of the blackness
Of Trayvon Martin
I want to make justice
I want to make justice for the blackness
Of Trayvon Martin.