What's That Noise Outside? Poem by Ari Vaka

What's that noise outside?
It's another child dying.
Another drug addicted baby
while the parents are left crying.
'My baby, my baby,
why'd it have to be you? '
While the needles in their child's arm
and his lips are turning blue.

What's that noise outside?
I heard a loud bang,
It's my little cousin J.L
getting caught up in the gangs.
A little kid got shot
now everybody's gone
Someone called an ambulance
boy's dead it took too long.

What's that noise outside?
It's the sound of jail cell doors
My brother's in for life
for killing an officer of the law.
Another brown face
going in to the cells,
A 19 year old boy
with no chance to excel.

What's that noise outside?
There is nothing, it's all silent
There's no drug addiction or killing,
nothing, just quiet.
I look out my window
and in confusion scratch my head
Now I know why it's all quiet
because everyone is dead.