In the midst of my National Poetry Month Challenge, history happened. Baltimore, the city I have called home for seven years, broke out into riots, serious riots, resulting in looting and fire, mostly fire.
Hard as it may be to believe, I was oblivious to most of it for the better part of the day. I was in back to back student conferences, and it wasn't until half my contact list started texting me to see if I was ok and "safe" that I asked a student what was going on. They didn't have all the information, nor did the next, nor did my sitter. Over the course of the following days I tried to paint a better picture for myself of what it was that had happened, was happening, so close to home, in places I recognized and was familiar with.
Writing a poem about such things, even during a particular challenge requiring me to write poems about things, seemed superficial. What could I possibly say on the matter? It wasn't my house attacked. My street in flames.
Then tonight it hit me. I don't need to collect what I have to say on the matter because others are saying quite enough, and it is through them, quite literally, that I found the poem below.
This poem is a construction of stolen words, plucked out of news stories, interviews, facebook posts and twitter feeds, online articles, blogs, and texts. Very few of the lines below come from me directly, and those are the ones paraphrasing images I saw. They are all things I have read or heard or seen. I've merely rearranged them. Placed them all here together. Purposefully pairing contradictory comments. If you're looking for some fun, you can try to locate their originals. Though some of them were via personal correspondence you won't be able to see.
Some of them are word for word and some are approximate paraphrase, as I'm doing this nearly all from memory. I've edited it the best I can in one sitting, as per usual for my NPMC poems. So, hopefully it makes some sense to you. I am confident it would need several, several more go arounds before being anything whole.
**The numbers in the first two lines are also from memory. I tried to find the source I first saw them on, which was the morning after the initial riots, but was unable to confirm my memory there.
So keep in mind that while I've snagged these snippets from all over, it is still my perception of them. I've ordered them, but I also am not trying to make any specific statement. I'm simply trying to paint a picture of what it was that happened, is happening, at least according to everyone else.
And here it is.
NPMC15 Poem 14:
"#Baltimore: According to the Media"
146** cars on fire
15** buildings set aflame
Baltimore is burning
Police request citizens allow members of the fire department
to respond to their calls for service.
We are still hearing reports of them being assaulted.
Thugs
Thugs are who did this
They're children afraid
poor, without guidance or choice
A car raced into a telephone pole going 90, 95 mph
the driver fled on foot
the helicopters beat overhead
this appears to be an isolated incident
A mother heralded as a hero
Just simply afraid her son would become
another hashtag
like Freddie Gray
and about five other names
She did what most viewers wished they could do
they support her because
she gave him what blacks traditionally deserve
this is an issue of our own
She's abusive. She's protective.
Violence is not an answer
The riots set the city back decades
Many want a peaceful protest
but they're coming from communities where
they feel rioting is the only way to be heard
They're losing their lives everyday.
Violent? It's the police who are violent.
6 cops charged
3 black, and 3 white
I bet everyone thought they were all white
Hopefully this brings to light
the grey in this issue
#seewhatIdidthere
We found out the van made
an additional stop
I can't chase down every rabbit hole
but people don't usually break their own necks
throwing themselves against a wall
There may not be a trial
They may not be charged
We want to disabuse the public of that expectation
Black Lawyers for Justice
Communities were out in droves cleaning up after
The media almost seems disappointed
things were peaceful in Baltimore
Will I survive in America?
We moved all the rocks
Anything that could be used as a weapon
picked it up and threw it in the trash
Many tried to use this as
a learning experience
since the kids were off school anyway
Black lives matters
White silence is consent
Let's talk about racism
We came together to foster a dialogue that moves
complex and painful issues
into the light to effect positive change.
But we should pay attention to these issues
not just when a CVS is burning
A single bird sang through the president's response
A Major League Baseball game without any fans
You can Google map the damage
It is funny how the media didn't show those
supporting the police
like a small back child
handing a police offer in riot gear
a bottle of water
The curfew is still set in place
several individuals were arrested past curfew
We are willing to do anything to prevent the violence
Many officers are working 16, 18 hour shifts
they've forfeited their leave
they're sleeping at the station
Thank you to the students from Gilmor Elementary
for delivering cookies
These riots are the actions of a few
There are peaceful protest all over Baltimore
right now
Those police officers seeking glory from violence
are but the actions of a few
Remember the riots of 68?
They were worse then
It effects you more as a child
The city is broken
but I still love my city.
it is important to keep Baltimore living
Though I live about a mile away
from where the riots started,
I may as well be worlds away.
I watched the whole thing on TV
just like most of you.
My heart goes out to those actually affected
**The numbers in the first two lines are also from memory. I tried to find the source I first saw them on, which was the morning after the initial riots, but was unable to confirm my memory there.
Hard as it may be to believe, I was oblivious to most of it for the better part of the day. I was in back to back student conferences, and it wasn't until half my contact list started texting me to see if I was ok and "safe" that I asked a student what was going on. They didn't have all the information, nor did the next, nor did my sitter. Over the course of the following days I tried to paint a better picture for myself of what it was that had happened, was happening, so close to home, in places I recognized and was familiar with.
Writing a poem about such things, even during a particular challenge requiring me to write poems about things, seemed superficial. What could I possibly say on the matter? It wasn't my house attacked. My street in flames.
Then tonight it hit me. I don't need to collect what I have to say on the matter because others are saying quite enough, and it is through them, quite literally, that I found the poem below.
This poem is a construction of stolen words, plucked out of news stories, interviews, facebook posts and twitter feeds, online articles, blogs, and texts. Very few of the lines below come from me directly, and those are the ones paraphrasing images I saw. They are all things I have read or heard or seen. I've merely rearranged them. Placed them all here together. Purposefully pairing contradictory comments. If you're looking for some fun, you can try to locate their originals. Though some of them were via personal correspondence you won't be able to see.
Some of them are word for word and some are approximate paraphrase, as I'm doing this nearly all from memory. I've edited it the best I can in one sitting, as per usual for my NPMC poems. So, hopefully it makes some sense to you. I am confident it would need several, several more go arounds before being anything whole.
**The numbers in the first two lines are also from memory. I tried to find the source I first saw them on, which was the morning after the initial riots, but was unable to confirm my memory there.
So keep in mind that while I've snagged these snippets from all over, it is still my perception of them. I've ordered them, but I also am not trying to make any specific statement. I'm simply trying to paint a picture of what it was that happened, is happening, at least according to everyone else.
And here it is.
NPMC15 Poem 14:
"#Baltimore: According to the Media"
146** cars on fire
15** buildings set aflame
Baltimore is burning
Police request citizens allow members of the fire department
to respond to their calls for service.
We are still hearing reports of them being assaulted.
Thugs
Thugs are who did this
They're children afraid
poor, without guidance or choice
A car raced into a telephone pole going 90, 95 mph
the driver fled on foot
the helicopters beat overhead
this appears to be an isolated incident
A mother heralded as a hero
Just simply afraid her son would become
another hashtag
like Freddie Gray
and about five other names
She did what most viewers wished they could do
they support her because
she gave him what blacks traditionally deserve
this is an issue of our own
She's abusive. She's protective.
Violence is not an answer
The riots set the city back decades
Many want a peaceful protest
but they're coming from communities where
they feel rioting is the only way to be heard
They're losing their lives everyday.
Violent? It's the police who are violent.
6 cops charged
3 black, and 3 white
I bet everyone thought they were all white
Hopefully this brings to light
the grey in this issue
#seewhatIdidthere
We found out the van made
an additional stop
I can't chase down every rabbit hole
but people don't usually break their own necks
throwing themselves against a wall
There may not be a trial
They may not be charged
We want to disabuse the public of that expectation
Black Lawyers for Justice
Communities were out in droves cleaning up after
The media almost seems disappointed
things were peaceful in Baltimore
Will I survive in America?
We moved all the rocks
Anything that could be used as a weapon
picked it up and threw it in the trash
Many tried to use this as
a learning experience
since the kids were off school anyway
Black lives matters
White silence is consent
Let's talk about racism
We came together to foster a dialogue that moves
complex and painful issues
into the light to effect positive change.
But we should pay attention to these issues
not just when a CVS is burning
A single bird sang through the president's response
A Major League Baseball game without any fans
You can Google map the damage
It is funny how the media didn't show those
supporting the police
like a small back child
handing a police offer in riot gear
a bottle of water
The curfew is still set in place
several individuals were arrested past curfew
We are willing to do anything to prevent the violence
Many officers are working 16, 18 hour shifts
they've forfeited their leave
they're sleeping at the station
Thank you to the students from Gilmor Elementary
for delivering cookies
These riots are the actions of a few
There are peaceful protest all over Baltimore
right now
Those police officers seeking glory from violence
are but the actions of a few
Remember the riots of 68?
They were worse then
It effects you more as a child
The city is broken
but I still love my city.
it is important to keep Baltimore living
Though I live about a mile away
from where the riots started,
I may as well be worlds away.
I watched the whole thing on TV
just like most of you.
My heart goes out to those actually affected
**The numbers in the first two lines are also from memory. I tried to find the source I first saw them on, which was the morning after the initial riots, but was unable to confirm my memory there.
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