Last breaths fall all around
harmonizing without sound
on video and police cameras
lost amid the din
of self-hate turned around
decency spit on the ground
angry moves erupt in fear
calling up death ever near
the surface of inner torment
burying perpetrator with victim
in darkest night of souls
in human form
forgetting the best of humanity
remembering the worst
self-fulfilling prophecy
of beasts unleashed
from chains of self-deceit
hanging by a thread
of remorse broken into pieces
shards of glass
that pierce the heart
cries of “mama” on the wind
seeing our selves in mime
shamed by how such a little distance
we have climbed
since the days when we enslaved
took land and massacred
pushing back and down
pretending a superiority
to hide our insecurity
breathless in the grip
of tortured missteps
on the road to security
forfeiting all purity of purpose
just to breathe out rage
until no one is left
to draw a breath.
annarino writes 