Photo: George Floyd – New York Times
dVerse Poets – Open Link Night
Grace at dVerse is hosting Open Link Night where we post a poem of our own choice. My choice has been influenced by the poems Grace posted as a reflection on the protests and Floyd’s death. So, I’m reblogging an earlier OLN poem about George Floyd that I wrote in the moment of grief having watched the video of his murder. Still can’t get it out of my mind, can’t erase the anger I feel of the injustice to him, and sadly, for so many.
"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, he 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
parallax 
Beautifully written, Paul.
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Thank you Janet, It came from that place of seeing the video and feeling the air go out of me as I gasped.
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Wonderful written, Paul! So important not to forget what was done against George Floyd. The last days another person was shot dead by police.Horrible.
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Yes, hard to believe the police in some places shoot before weighing up the reality, because he ran – so what? Does it matter, we’ll get him later. They seem to have this authority ego thing going.
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So true, Paul! I always thought we are living in democratic state, and the police is acting forthe souveraign, the community itself, not for themselves. I can help myself, but all this actual things sounding like there are some above us, like in past feudalism. We should change that, very fast, and – oh i love this term “sustainable”. 🙂
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Yes I love that term too, yes hoping for sweeping revolution.
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Me too, Paul! Maybe it will happen. DJT found his enemies. The former regent (of the Bavarian Kingdom) denied the return of Trumps Grandfather to the Kingdom of Bavaria. In the past they dont want to have a billionaire coming back.
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That I understand.
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😉 Me too.
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Powerful and beautifully penned. ❤
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Thank you so much Penny.
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I share your inability to get the picture out of my mind. The horrific act was bad enough, but the officer standing by compounded it, leaving me astounded that there are those who consider life of so little value, and that those few besmirch the honesty and integrity of a legion of good cops fills me with anger along with incredible sadness for my black brothers and sisters who endure such injustice over and over again.
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Thank you Beverly, and yes to your comment, absolutely astounded. and yes incredible sadness for our brothers and sisters.
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Powerful. Sadness isn’t enough to express my thoughts. Disgust, horror; your expression of your reaction is apt.
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Many thanks for sharing your reaction, absolutely so.
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😢💔
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Very sad. Poem is good though. Life today when so much hasn’t changed.
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Yes, very sad, so much needs to be changed.
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I concur with the comments of your other readers. The anger and grief is suffocating.
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Yes, I feel that, I think that’s why, in a different way, the breathing is a connection for me, in a way we have been sucker punched.
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I’ve only had the wind knocked out of me once, when I fell off a ladder and landed on my ribs. For several moments, I could not breathe. It was terrifying–and it lasted nowhere near eight minutes.
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Yes, imagine! Having the wind knocked out is awful enough.
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Sad, but very good, I am going to reblog this one for you.
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Thank you – very kind indeed.
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Reblogged this on Truth Troubles.
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Many thanks 🙂
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A very moving poem. We all struggle to breathe now. Thanks for sharing this powerful poem.
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Many thanks Grace.
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Excellent work.
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Thank you indeed, very much appreciated.
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Very fitting, very moving. That image seems seared on my retinas and I have no words just now.
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Many thanks for sharing your reaction Chris, I hope the words may come to you.
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I, too, struggle to breathe. Isn’t it ironic that the coronavirus pandemic that assails the world makes it difficult for the infected to breathe?
Thanks for your shared humanity ❤
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Many thanks Rosaliene, I like that – shared humanity.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Many thanks Chuck, appreciate that.
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Always happy to share your work, Paul!
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🙂
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Thank you for posting a second time … that image, his voice, the sheer terror he must have felt. Horrific.
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Yes, and knowing he was dying, cruel, unjust, criminal, heartbreaking, like so much else. Thank you so much Helen.
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Powerful before and equally powerful and emotive this time
>
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Thank you so much 🙂
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