Chant For Justice Poem by APPHIA GARCIA

Souls! ! They are not mine
But I wish I can take them away
Take them away,
Because they take the life of my family
Take them away,
Because they take the life of my friends
Take them away,
Because they take the life of innocent people in society.

The people who get the most protection are those least deserving of it.
Escorted by the big men in security,
Police officers and men from the army service.
The men in uniform create a human barrier to protect a murderer
Because they believe angry civilians may just take revenge, justifiably so, on the killer.
But I wonder,
Who was there to protect the living now dead?

I stand in bewilderment and observe what we call the justice system.
The death penalty bill is yet to be passed
Because people argue its inhumane.
But I wonder,
When did it become humane for a human take the life of his own brother?

Can we go back to the days when equality and justice was okay?
Can we go back to the days when a man was lynched
Not because he was black,
Not because he was of lower class
But because it was just.
The days of the public square and a family member threw the first stone.
Can we go back to the days when the blood-guilt principle of,
Soul will be for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot stood?

It seems like those in authority take pride in speaking about how many live below the poverty line.
It's their every reason to increase taxes.
But when I look at my payslip and see how many are being deducted
My inside churns.
I know it is not for better roads, more beds in the hospitals, food subsidies nor a frequent supply of water.
But it is to feed the prisoner who just took the life of my hungry neighbor.

I flip through the newspaper and all it does is motivate me to chant:
Souls! ! They are not mine
But I wish I can take them away
Take them away,
Because they take the life of my family
Take them away,
Because they take the life of my friends
Take them away,
Because they take the life of innocent people in society.

It's time we start living according to the one is one law.
One is one not in favor of the gang leader
One is one in favor us
You and me.
Let's rise for what is just!





NB-the piece was written for audio presentation hope all can enjoy reading just as much.