Should we still identify them as the police?
Patrol the streets for “harmful” black flesh
Bullets and tasers they quickly release
On melanin ones, they chase or catch
Do they represent our system of justice?
Or are they the paddy rollers of old
Everyone should sit up and take notice
They have become too brash and bold
We need to stop these bad boys in blue
They naturally treat us less than human
Handcuff our babies; no thought of rescue
Some of them perpetrating real demons
The bullet and badge give too much power
To those who can’t seem to control their rage
Street corners littered with toys and flowers
Quick to throw brown and black in a cage
We know most aren’t a menace to society
And aware of the fine work some perform
The bad apples have earned too much notoriety
Blatant misconduct has become the norm
Defund them, retrain them; get rid of the rot
Taxpayers fed up with the costly lawsuits
Not to mention the names of those they forgot
Because this form of racial hatred is at the root
About the Poem
This poem is written out of concern and frustration for the repetitive unfair treatment of some law enforcement against non-white citizens.
About the Author
Carolyn June-Jackson is a native of Arlington, Virginia. She grew during the oppressed systemic racism of the 1950s and the volatile civil rights movement during the 1960s. These early memories influenced her to share her thoughts and feelings of racism and segregation through a black prism in her poetry. However, she believes “her first calling” is to showcase, celebrate, and applaud African-American females of all ages: unique features, inner strength, and dominant influence within the family and the village.
Carolyn currently resides in Saint Louis, MO, with her husband, Jerry.