Fire.

I am a Canadian student of Congolese descent studying English Literature and Creative Writing at Western University. I wrote this verse in response to the unjust murder of George Floyd. May he rest in peace. 

Policed by a fire squad, fire squad

Feel I need to fire back, fire back

Walking free breaking laws, breaking laws

We killed and can't fire back, fire back

Fear of me they fire shots, fire shots

When can we fire back? Fire back

Smoke in the air, I can't breathe, can't breathe

Think it's time to fire back, fire back

Young black male, melanin the most hated

Taught me at eleven to know hatred, go face it

My bloodline created out of some broke places

From Congo to Toronto, we made it, so gracious

Leopold cut our hands, spite our faces, so racist,

Past time we had cuffs, now my Invicta's gold plated

Long way from the days as massa's slave, disrespecting me

Now pave roads to master's degrees, mastered my destiny

Rejected the image they project on me

Picture of a boy from the projects, they expect to see

Baller top pic, no scholar prospect, young black gifted,

MLK wanted for Christmas, I'm on Detroit Red's wish list

Young black success story, some can't believe that shit

Stab my backside whispering we don't need that shit

Sideline side eyes, wishing that they could be that shit

Change our wealth in one generation, that's the speed we flip

Young black male, in panic in view of red and blue

On top of the roof, a dangerous crew, violent group

Gas lighting you, all lives matter, blue lives matter

My weary blues muted by America's white chatter

Institutional lies, now we're institutionalized

Thirteenth amendment, blacks used by the whites

Still locked up for grams, dope runners with no bodies

Thoughts that jog in my head is that I might be Aubery

How swift would cops make Maya Breonna Taylor?

Well suited for destruction, who's Uncle Sam's tailor?

Haunted by thoughts of dad lost, his poor boy

Might go George Foremen on killers of George Floyd

Say race don't matter? you made race matter

Once you started spilling African plasma

American heroes? NO, just protected villains sir

Making a killing, making all these killings occur

Young black male, I always imagine my demise

Of bullets flying, ending my life through racial profile

Thinking that I'd die, driving in my daddy's ride

My crime? Enjoying the fruits of labour he provides

Young black male, you would never trade placement

Why would you leave your penthouse for the basement?

Putting band-aids on the wounds that built your nation

We were promised by forefathers emancipation

Uncle Sam didn't monopolize discrimination

I've been racialized and hated by other nations

Rap music, style, slang, insane how much you're taking

But when shit hits the fan, what stance are you taking?

Spent time being uni educated, my Invicta is gorgeous

Obeying speed limitations in luxury foreign

Be half black like Obama, or fuck white girls like Jordan

But when they see me, I'm just another thug on the corner

This article is part of the More Than a Moment issue, made in collaboration with the UWO Black Students' Association. Read the full issue here.