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A Shame About The Looting

(Claudia Boleyn, 2020)

We all know racism is bad, 

and Georgie dying? 

Well, it’s very sad -

how you’re harming the legacy 

of that good man. 

With all that thuggish looting. 

 

He had a dodgy dollar bill, 

The cops were right to stop him,

Still, 

it’s bad for business that they killed him... 

while that phone was filming. 

 

They bust the door with a battering ram,

with no warning, inside, a woman and man, 

screamed out in confusion, 

as the shots began... 

​

Eight strikes,

she’s out, 

and just like that: 

Breonna has left the building. 

 

On a Sunday jog to clear the mind, 

Ahmaud sprints to the end of his life. 

They chased him in trucks, 

he was sport, just a prize; 

And to treasure the moment, 

they filmed it with pride. 

​

Well, he looked like he might have been stealing. 

 

They pinned George down,

they crushed his neck -

they calmly took away his breath - 

he faded out as the people begged... 

 

But the officers did nothing. 

 

Peaceful protest, kneeling, grieving, 

Flowers laid, a brother weeping.

Desire to teach, and reach out a hand, 

Means nothing when the missiles land,

​

Which,

(you have to understand), 

Is because of all the looting. 

 

 

******

 

Rubber bullets, eyes made blind,

tear gas, choking, a tiny girl cries. 

Hit with batons, beaten, shoved; 

Arresting the peaceful, who speak of love. 

 

Decked out in armour, our heroes stand tall. 

The brave blue martyrs, defending the law. 

If the President wills it, it must be done. 

That’s the freedom their ancestors won. 

 

******

 

The press are in shock: 

Wait, they’re firing on… us? 

But we’re only reporting, we’re not causing trouble;

We’re not like those looters and radical types,

Look,

We’ve got a camera crew! 

Look!

We’re white! 

What are you doing?

No, you can’t! - We’re complying! 

 

******

 

This is America. Yes, it’s on fire, 

50 states burning, a funeral pyre. 

Chew it and swallow, rinse and repeat, 

Promising better to dial down that heat; 

Well they’re choking now, they can no longer breathe 

and though the National Guard is out on the streets: 

You will not make them shut up and eat. 

 

******

 

I’ve been watching the news, 

and it is such a shame, 

That the protesters have to act in this way. 

See they had me at first, but they’ve lost the high ground, 

They’re supposed to sit quietly, not make a sound - 

And endure, like the others, the ones we respect, 

Like Dr King,

who was loved and accepted. 

 

And yes, I do sympathise, yes, I agree,

That racism’s bad, it’s a terrible tragedy... 

​

But they looted a Target, and that I can’t forgive -  

So this ally is out,

See?

You get what you give. 

 

 

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