Neighborhood

Houses.

With white picket fences.

And inside, diamonds bigger than fists.

A perfectly trimmed green yard,

bordered with roses of red and white

Or as some may say… “The epitome of the American Dream itself”

I hear my neighbors son wishing me a good day

as the rap of his lawn mower cuts off.

His smile not only visible by the upturn

of his lips,

but by the glint

in his eyes.

I return the smile,

remembering the joy in my own sons eyes as he played on that same sidewalk

I see my neighbor push open that white picket fence in front of his home.

Picking up his school bag,

heading on his way.

And I am about to go on my morning jog,

but I notice an almost unnatural

silence.

The birds songs’ suddenly coming to a close,

As if the conductor waved his baton telling them,

it’s over, done, finite.

But the silence quickly disappears.

And the blaring whoop of sirens overwhelms the pleasant atmosphere.

Across the street,

my neighbor.

Two men walking towards him,

and WHAM!

His grey hoodie pressed against the gravel.

The kid I had known since his birth.

His life beginning to unravel.

The boy I had invited over for dinner.

That shy but happy teenager.

His innocence being snatched away by a sinner.

The only emotions left on his face now:

Resignation, repression,

FEAR.

My mind is a whirlpool

And my own two feet, now two blocks of drying cement

Getting heavier and heavier with each step

As I try

to reach him

to help him

to question... these two men

Cuffing his innocent wrists

                     Officers

That are supposed to be serving our community

“With liberty and justice for all”

But I wonder,

who do they really include

in this group that deserves liberty and justice?

They do not admit

it is because

he looks different from them

that they assumed

he must not belong

In a neighborhood

With white picket fences

And diamonds bigger than fists.