Baker, Shukri
Transcript
Pepper Sprayed by Shukri Abu Baker
Inspired by a true incident on 10-28-22
It is hard to breathe when air frowns and bares its teeth.
I am allergic to human bites, sensitive to besiegement. I flap.
I turn red, turn blue, turn white.
I turn on the edge, I see the stars and choke. I choke on the invisible mist of injustice.
I inhale my child’s tears.
I feel her lungs drop in my lap soaked in thirst.
And I shiver. I surrender my eyes like she did when she ascended and never looked back.
And I slowly melt. I melt into my captor’s vision of justice.
Then when it is harder to breathe it is easier to cry.
11-11-2022
