“I can’t breathe.”
—Eric Garner’s last words
I would have loved Eric Garner!
Is this wrong to say?
Taken the weight of him in—
An emotional grounding;
Catching his fall,
His sweat calamitous and sparking on my skin.
Would have let him call me sanctuary,
Nestling safe beneath my skin.
Trayvon, Amadou, Michael, John
I would have ingested—
Holy Communion. Just to spit
Them out again
Into the world, whole
And safe and beautiful.
I want black boys to live inside of me, to hold them
Until it is time for them to come out of hiding.
Want them to call me home,
Friend, brother.
Want Eric safe and heavy breathing
His name into my lungs.
My breath is not my own.
My breath is recycled.
OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE!