by Robin Boland

World, you’re breaking my heart today

Yesterday my instincts said to wrap my arms around every black man I saw

To somehow use my whiteness as a shield against you

To protect them, warn them to watch out

As if they don’t already know what dangerous creatures we are

It must have been the mother in me

The one who still cries at the sight of Tamir’s sweet face

The one who sees her family in his smile

I can do nothing to protect them from you, world,

And it’s breaking my heart today

Robin Boland is a Hillman City resident

Painting by Molosius