Before The Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict — A Poem Calling You To Action And More Awareness

Before Kyle keeps crying,
keeps sobbing, keeps looking
at the juror’s with puppy dog eyes,
before another person dies for their
stance on human rights

let’s take three collective deep breaths.

Before Kenosha is burned to the ground
or the sounds of sirens, police cars,
and rioting is caught in a rapture
only change understands

let us demand justice, let us demand
a better way for the people, let us demand
a verdict that is righteous — because we
fight knowing the arch of the universe
bends towards fairness.

We can march before Kyle is given
his orders, before his fate is decided
upon. We can demand the jurors
and judges realize we are always
fighting

always fighting,

always fighting!

Let us speak truth to power
at the right times, at the right people,

at policies and policing allowing
white people, white men to
carry rifles

into peaceful crowds, protests
only to create more deaths, more
stress, more of a mess.

Are we demanding enough from
the systems who set up, who create
a Kyle Rittenhouse? Are we demanding
enough from the people who help
people like him get to places like Kenosha
to cause havoc?

Who are we not reaching?!

What the hell are we teaching
our children?!?!

The verdict
will come down.
The decision will
be made. The
outcome, either way,
will be life-changing
for many. We will
see Kyle in new
ways. We will
either disagree
with the jurors
or praise them.
We will either
jump for joy,
or be disgusted.

We are not done fighting.

This country is not done
denying us our victories.
We are living history
of the harms of the
violence this country
creates through hate.

What are we
going to do
with the
United States

if Kyle goes free?