Poetry can be interpreted in a million different ways. You can read it how it applies to you in your life or you can try to figure out what the author meant. I invite you to first read my poem, come up with your own conclusion, and then read below it to see my explanation.

Land of the free

Sounds like a bunch of

Bullshit to me.

It’s easier to get shot in the head

And wind up dead

For simply being

A few shades darker

Than beige.

Living the American dream

Only applies if you look white

Or survive.

Authority takes advantage

Of the badge that’s stabbed

On their arms.

It’s like harming

Is easier than being a decent

Human being.

They’re the real aliens

But they’re more like monsters.

Don’t tell me you’re

“Protecting yourself”

When every person shot down

Is unarmed.

You’re the incarnation

Of the devil himself.

Irony at it’s best because

I see that you keep the Holy Bible

On the top shelf

We can find you

On your knees

On Sundays

And fooling those who believe

Your lies.

You use religion as a disguise.

I would never spit on anyone

But if it were you,

I’d do it right in your eyes

You’re disgusting.

I hope the cries

Of the families you hurt

Keep you up at night.

It isn't news to Americans about the violence and senseless killings of people of color. That's sad. It isn't breaking news when someone gets killed unless an undocumented person or person of color commits that crime.

I've been mad about every murder against people of color but this poem was written after I heard about Claudia Patricia Gomez Gonzalez. She was a girl from Guatemala who escaped poverty and violence for the American Dream. She crossed the border to study and make something of herself, for herself and her family back home. She was fatally SHOT IN THE HEAD by a border patrol officer about three weeks ago when they encountered her.

There is absolutely no good reason for this incident to have happened. If you think that she or anyone deserves to die because they are crossing the border or look a certain way then YOU'RE WRONG and you need to check your morals. That border patrol officer MURDERED her. Why? She was not coming at the officer. She didn't have a gun or any other weapon. She was not a threat. She was shot in the head like one would shoot an animal they're hunting.

Trump has described immigrants/undocumented immigrants as animals and this murderer of a border patrol officer treated her like one. He is on administrative leave but where he should be is behind bars for life. I'm sure he won't get any worse than paid leave and might score an invite to the White House or even a tweet from the president himself telling everyone to leave him alone and back off of him.

There have been countless amounts of murders by authority figures, like police officers and agents all over the U.S. Aside from murders, other issues that you can relate this poem with are about the 1000 children that got lost track of by the U.S. Government. Who knows where those children are but apparently the government can careless because they're undocumented children. It takes activists and people from social media to really bring issues to light because the people in the white house aren't going to do anything about it except brush it under the rug or bring up the fact that people of color are the problems and point out a crime that they have committed.

In this poem I also bring up religion because it's really easy for people to believe in God, go to church, be very conservative, and yet still sin. People will shout pro-life views at you but don't care what happens to the children after the mother gives birth. No one's perfect but if you're going to say you're very religious and worshiping of God then act like it. The bible says things like love thy neighbor, be gentle, be humble, be kind, have patience, don't kill, and don't judge yet many people turn their cheek when they need to follow any of these.

It's not hard to be at least a decent, nice person, i promise you that. It's harder to hate and to be racist and to be cruel to people. It takes up every bit of energy to hate someone like these officers and murderers and by standers do. We as a nation and as people living in this country should and CAN do something about all the injustice that is going on. Remember, the government works for YOU. You can VOTE OUT and VOTE IN those who choose to do nothing about harmful situations. YOU HAVE A VOICE whether you think so or not.

If you're interested in finding justice for Claudia and the 1000 kids, click here.