Bodhisattva Nightmare Poem by Eric Cockrell

i felt the bullet
as your body fell,
the sickening gasp of light

lost in the void...
i felt the empty
of your stomach turning,

as you staggered weakly
down that long dusty road.
i felt the bone crushing pain

as he struck your face,
again and again....
i felt the sickness

of the stench of the alley...
i felt the fear and despair of the cell,
the not knowing when

it was going to come...
i felt the hatred and fear
they tormented you with,

for who you loved,
and the way you lived....
i felt the hopelessness

of the hard ass streets,
the gun in your pocket...
the monkey on your back....

i felt.... and still feel!