'Trayvon, Redux,' by Rita Dove

Rita Dove, former poet laureate of the United States, penned a poem inspired by George Zimmerman's acquittal in the shooting death of unarmed African-American teen Trayvon Martin.  

Trayvon, Redux

It is difficult/to get the news from poems /yet men die miserably every day/for lack/of  what is found there./Hear me out/for I too am concerned/and every man/who wants to die at peace in his bed/besides.

William Carlos Williams, “Asphodel, that Greeny Flower”

Move along, you don't belong here.This is what you're thinking.  Thinkingdrives you nuts these days, all thattalk about rights and law abidance whenyou can't even walk your own neighborhoodin peace and quiet, get your black ass gone.You're thinking again.  Then what?Matlock's on TV and here you are,vigilant, weary, exposed to the elementson a wet winter's evening in Floridawhen all's not right but no one sees it.Where are they – the law, the enforcersblind as a bunch of lazy bats can be,holsters dangling from coat hooks above their desksas they jaw the news between donuts?

Hey!  It tastes good, shoving your voicedown a throat thinking only of sweetness.Go on, choke on that.  Did you say something?Are you thinking again?  Stop! – andget your ass gone, your blackness,that casual little red riding hoodI'm just on my way home attitudeas if this street was his to walk on.Do you do hear me talking to you? Boy. How dare he smile, jiggling his goodiesin that tiny shiny bag, his black paw crinkling it,how dare he tinkle their laughter at you.

Here's a fine basket of riddles: If a mouth shoots off and no one's aroundto hear it, who can say which came first –push or shove, bang or whimper?Which is news fit to write home about? 

                                                                        © 2013 by Rita Dove