Mother Must I? Poem by Maurice Kemp

Police…
Hope for quiet…
Someone calls in frightened…
Hoping the law will save the day…
Ten-four!

Mother…
Sends son for milk…
Halfway there silence breaks…
Sirens beat air while soles beat streets…
Hands up!

Neighbors…
Pour out of homes…
Eager to blame the law…
The boy watches the perp knocked down…
Stay down!

The perp…
Struggles to stand…
Neighbors shout in protest…
Punches land hard against soft spots…
Help me!

The clerk…
Rests on his back…
Arrested by cruel death…
His wife by his side sees the boy…
Store's closed!