From cops killing the poor
On the streets,to now,
Two supposed “suicides” of
African American women in jails:
One, Sandra Bland, for not signaling
A turn on the road in Texas,
To Keandra, a day later,
Another African American woman
Dead while in police custody
I know, it’s not just African Americans
Who have been killed by cops
But let’s get to the kernel
Of the thing,
The core of the matter
Policing in the US started in 1830s
To catch African American
Runaway slaves and to protect
The property of plantation owners
There’s a racial legacy of the cops
Going after African Americans
The police are the arm of the State
Which protects the rich
The policeprotect the property
Of the billionaire class
Let’s demand
That cops stop acting
Like judge, jury, executioners
And fight for Black lives
For then, when we stand up
For African Americans
Who are at the bottom of the ladder
Westand up for all of us
Not one more life killed
At the hands of the police!!!
—Yolanda Catzalco