how dare this white man say
“she wasn’t seriously hurt.”
 
did he talk to you, sweetheart?
 
have you even been asked, dear one?
 
what is his measure of “seriously” and who cares?
 
it has never been the responsibility of anyone
on the police [excessive] force
to assign judgment in your feeling, little girl
 
Sheriff Leon Lott in one breath said,
“the video makes me want to throw up”
and in another
“the student must take some blame.”
 
judge and witness are never one in the same
 
there are bruises that run so deeply
they will only be visible on your children
and/ or their children
 
hurt so horrid
it’s lost its voice
closed its eyes
buried its own self
before folks like the sheriff could dig it up
 
it is no one’s job but your own,
young lady,
to let the world know
if the arm around your neck
the backwards slamming of your desk
the flinging of your young body
“hurt”
 
forgive me for all I have not done
to ensure that this behavior
does not happen in any school
in any valley
because what we have collectively done
is clearly
not enough
 
and we still don’t know your name
but we are way too familiar
with your mistreatment
and shame