Remembering Till

When I remembered
that my brother lives in America

I told him,

"Be safe out there
Out on those streets
where they kill
black
men
boys
Lynch them
like it is 1955
and it is Emmett Till
all over again
Lynch them
for reasons
flimsy like
talking back
walking away
wearing a hoodie
speaking too loud
having a broken tail light
being at the wrong place
looking suspicious
like criminal
like murderer
like thing with no soul."

"...what happens to any of us, anywhere in the world, had better be the business of us all."

- Mamie Till-Mobley (Emmett Till's mother)