https://dversepoets.com/2020/05/28/openlinknight267/
Grace at dVerse is hosting Open Link Night, the night we choose a poem of our own to post.
“I Can’t Breathe” George Floyd
To Breathe The tissue of life is delicately thin, especially when the protectors grin, arraigned with a knee and pinned to the ground, he couldn't breathe; no judge, no jury, they refused his cry, the man needed air, we was guilty, without sin, they murdered George Floyd with a dirty white lie and since the moment he stopped, I have struggled to breathe. ©Paul Vincent Cannon
I struggle with this, I wept for this man, for us, for life!
Paul, pvcann.com
parallax 
It has always been shameful and getting worse now. I think T is an instigator.
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Yes, it is hard to understand how it has come to be, but it has, I hope for change and soon.
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Living in Houston during 60s riots and inotbef parts of TX many years, I don’t have your hope.
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It seems like the whole nation is drawing towards a cliff.
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Very disheartening
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Yes.
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I also don’t have your hope. There was a news report this morning showing rioting and looting in Minneapolis, including a police station in flames. It reminded me so much of the Watts riots, I just started to cry.
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Nothing has changed, I guess it just doesn’t touch the lives of the legislators. I don’t condone the rioting, but I understand the need to express. I wonder if it can be fixed.
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I think the rioting will spark retaliation and on and on it goes.
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Yes, the endless circle, if only we could break it.
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It seems that we should be able to–which gets into questions of nature versus nurture, I suppose.
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It does, much as politicians want to deny that, it does.
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A very needless, senseless death. I weep with you, Paul.
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Thank you, it is encouraging to know you feel it too.
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Pingback: REBLOG: To Breathe (George Floyd) – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon – The Bag Lady
Thank you 🙂
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I, too, mourn this man who was murdered while we watched.
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I was shocked, I still can’t get it out of my head, It is sure good to know you and others are feeling it, that it isn’t swept away.
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Saddened… I, too, I have struggled to breathe.
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It’s hard, I feel such a grief, powerless to change this stuff.
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Thank you, Paul.
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Appreciate your thoughts Ken, tough one.
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Very shameful act but the powerfuls never feel the pain or the guilt.
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That is a major part of the problem I feel, there’s never any change until,you are deeply affected. Appreciate your response Rupali.
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I have struggled to breathe too, Paul. Cannot yet put words to the horror I feel.
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It is indeed a horror VJ, I hope those words come.
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This tore my heart, Paul.
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Thank you for sharing your feelings Punam, it is awful.
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You are welcome.
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Expresses what so many of us are feeling Paul. Thank you.
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Well, thank you for sharing your thoughts too, we journey together, much appreciated.
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Still nauseous and furious. That Mr. Floyd was calling for his mama as a murderer in uniform snuffed out his life with a smirk broke my heart.
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Yes, what words can we use, it just overwhelms. An intentional murder under cover of power. My heart broke too, I hope somehow this results in charge. I can’t agree with rioting but how do you express grief when you feel that everyone is deaf? Horrible. Thank you for sharing your feelings.
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It’s infinitely hard to be watching this same scenario replay so often in our country. It was the wide-spread broadcast of scenes of brutality in Salem, the dead bodies in Vietnam, that influenced the passage of the Civil Right Bill and finally ended the war in Vietnam. I fervently pray that these sights will once again spur this country to a different outcome. However, in those days we did not have presidents who openly advocate acts a violence as legitimate forms of disagreement. I am ashamed and heartbroken we allow it to continue. We the entire people have not in my lifetime faced such great danger. When one is allowed to walk in fear – we must all go trembling for if they come for you why not me?
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Yes, the repetition must be devastating, I share your hope, even from afar, it seems that the mighty has fallen but can rise again. Yes, fear is crippling and destabilising. I agonise over these very things. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
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Shameful and heartbreaking…hope for justice to prevail this time and for a leader who will inspire and foster peace instead of inciting violence and hate to deflect attention from his own crimes
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Yes, a real leader who will unite in purpose and compassion, overdue everywhere sadly, thank you for sharing that.
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I wept too.
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Just awful, thank you for sharing your feelings and response.
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I can hear the echoes of his pleas, I can’t breathe. This made me weep, no one should die like that. Where was the justice? So heartbreaking.
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Yes, I was so strung out that no one heard him, it just played out with death, I was so angry and broken, thank you so much for sharing that.
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Nice phrase: “guilty, without sin,”
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The Christ moment, the Luther King moment, it is so striking, thank you so much Frank.
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We are so upset. It is an abomination. This is just one in a weekly occurrence (it seems like).
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Yes, the horror of an endless dark play. I keep wondering when it will end.
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This is beautifully penned. I am moved by your words and tragedy of the man. Thanks for joining us at Dverse.
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Thank you so much Grace, I just wept, I do still hold hope for change though.
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It’s so disgusting… I do wonder if there will be some true change this time. Maybe it will finally bring change,
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Hoping Bjorn, surely in time reflection on this will out the issues at least. I wonder if there are strong champiopns of legislative change and also community leadership?
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Paul this captures the feeling so well. I have felt ashamed for days. I witnessed a man losing his life for what? Because someone had the power and arrogance to do it? I too wrote a poem yesterday but have not published it yet. I just hope justice is served and Trump will no longer have the power to negate it. 😢
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Yes, I cannot unsee that video, awful. I share your hopes, I hope you publish that poem, I found it healing, a form of public journalling really. Christine thank you for sharing your feelings, so powerful.
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I posted it yesterday Paul 😢 Thank you
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Thank you Christine
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I’m crying… You have honor George Floyd in a beautiful way.
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Thank yo so much, I wish I could bring him back really, just horrific. Appreciate your thoughtful words.
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So moving. Dare people hope for change, after so many past abominations?
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Yes, and to think that the people do know what the problem is and won’t address it.
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I love this….can I inform my readers about your site so that they can read it as well? If not I understand! But thank you so much for posting this…very thoughtful way to honor another human being!
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Of course, and thank you.
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Yes indeed – I totally agree and your words express my feelings about this tragic and deplorable travesty
>
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My heart aches, so powerless to stop this institutionalised brutality.
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such a great read
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Many thanks Maddie.
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Thank you for this. Please check out my recent post regarding racism in america so we can support the movement together ❤️
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Okay, will do. 🙂
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Thank you for this.A great recommendation. Its horrible what’d happend again.
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Yes, and deteriorating, sad days for all.
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Paul—Thank God for the artists who jump into the fray. interprreting and consoling! Thank you for being one of these courageous few!
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Thank you so much for those encouraging words Jonathan, really appreciate that.
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1st Thessalonians 5: 11…build one another up, even as you are doing…!
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Ah, yes, indeed.
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😀
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
TAKES REAL COURAGE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS SO SOON. YOWZA!
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Thanks a heap for doing that.
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IT NEEDED SHARING! LIKE MINE ARE!
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Wonderful
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Beautifully written, Paul. It has been more than a week now, and I am still in shock over what we all saw. I would like to think there will be systemic change in our justice system and in the hearts of the citizens of our country, but then I remember Sandy Hook and Parkland High School.
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Yes, I share your thoughts Janet. I started watching the video without taking in the headline fully, I can’t unsee it now, broke my heart. Hope people remember come Election Day.
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I could not breathe either with shock for a long long time. In fact when someone first sent me the video I could not look beyond the first few minutes. It was only a couple of days later that I could bring myself to watch to the end. The helpless cries for help and the inability of anyone to step in choke me as much as the callousness of the officers … but that is a choke of utmost anger.
Thank God all four have been charged. Praying the wheels of justice turn fast and change comes. That would be George Flloyd’s legacy.
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Yes, so agree, just evil, to rob a life for no reason. Seems to me a lot of reform needs to happen in the US in justice and policing. I cannot unsee that video, haunting.
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Heart breaking
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Yes, just awful, can’t unsee that haunting video.
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On a side note, its good that people from different races are united to fight against racism
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Good point, yes, there is light in the darkness, which is hopeful for the future.
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It makes me so sad I can’t watch the news. I wanted to write a poem about this too but so far I can’t. I am glad to have found yours.
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Many thanks Rexis, I hope you find that voice. So heartbreaking.
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I can’t breathe…forever in my brain
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Yes, how that is seared, but in a way, if it stays, he’s not forgotten, so sad.
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A little tRump and Melanoma supporter right there. Let me guess, white supremacist, facist, surely not from south, fox news, surely not?!!
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One of my followers stated in his post we need a deliberate and transparent change! There’s much that can be done to prevent these happenings and it’s unfortunate that we are even having this discussion. He will not be forgotten.
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I do resonate with that Eugenia, I’m hoping this will be a time of reflecting and changing, but yes, he will not be forgotten. Thank you so much for sharing that.
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You’re welcome.
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I thought a lot of Ahmaud Arbery just before George Floyd’s death. I could not watch the news because at the same time, just after I’d written about Ahmaud Arbery, my five-year-old daughter died on May 27. I relate to the depth of pain and injustice in your poem.
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What a difficult place to be in, I can’t begin to even imagine what you’re feeling, but I do appreciate you reaching out and responding. Thank you for sharing your pain, and for your reaction to the poem.
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The words are amazingly used
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Thank you so much.
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Pingback: To Breathe (George Floyd) – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon — parallax – The Interfaith Intrepid
Many thanks for sharing it.
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