5 Minutes

5 minutes 

Black man- Regular Font
White cop- ALL CAPS 

Excuse me Mr. Officer can i ask you a question
WHAT THE HELL YOU WANT BOY YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF YOUR PROTEST SECTION
Why do you hate me so much? What did i do
YOU’RE A HOOLIGAN, THUG, AND A CRIMINAL TOO

Well if i was a criminal wouldn’t i be in jail
I WILL GET YOU THE NEXT CRIME AND TOSS YOU STRAIGHT IN THAT PRISON CELL
Funny cause you are waiting for me to commit a crime but that is not who i am
BOY GET THE HELL BACK BEFORE I DRAW MY SERVICE WEAPON

If you draw it on me i just have one request
Dont shoot me in the back but shoot me in my chest
Don’t put your knee on my head and bash my face to the ground
Choke me staring you dead in the eye
So my soul can haunt you down

WHAT THE HELL YOU SAY TO ME MONKEY
ARE YOU THREATENING ME

Not at all Mr. Officer just expressing my feelings with my hands up and speaking verbally

You called me a hooligan, thug, and criminal all in the same sentence
I just crushed your pride by not reacting my friend with the camera here is my witness

You categorized all black people and that is your perception of us
A bunch of criminal thugs who you look to erase but

You never answered my question of why you hate ME so much
You’ve never met ME or even seen me but ready to draw your gun

Since you are stationed here with my cameras watching and i am here to protest 
I ask you to give me 5 mins to explain just who I am

I am a former special education educator
A former basketball and track coach 
A personal trainer with clients that look like both

Like both you and i 
I have taught and coached all complexions 

You would be surprised at how many of your race look up to me for both guidance and direction 

I motivate and uplift your race and I motivate and uplift mine
I need no camera to film my good duties
Because my heart is genuine

I do my actions out of love 
I don’t do them out of spite
I take time to get to know the people that enter into my life 

I don’t judge them by what they look like
I see them for whats on the inside
Inside their mind and their heart
Then our connection intertwines 

Now you on the other hand 
You were quick to lock me away
Then you got so fed up with me 
You were willing to kill me on this day

Take my life and you don’t even know me
Didn’t even care to take 5 minutes out of your day
Killing another black man
Just business as usual as you guys like to say

Well Mr. Officer no need to sign that false report
Of how you feared for your life
I just wanted to share a glimpse of who i was 
Just wanted you to get some insight

Don’t be so quick to judge me and my people because of our complexion 
We were blessed with this color and all of its blessings

Just imagine me being like you and judging my students and players who like your skin
I would have never gave them any instruction, guidance, uplifting, hell not even notebook paper let alone a pen

I couldn’t even imagine 
I do something like that
I am a role model to many colors
I will continue to be that

Thank you Mr. Officer 
For my 5 mins are complete
Thank you for not shooting first
But taking time to actually hear me

Now if you have something on your chest
You are willing to address 
Take the floor Mr. Officer 
That 5 mins we can reset 

I am willing to hear you out 
Willing to know what you really fear
Every time you approach my color
That service weapon is coming out the side of your rear

So lets have this dialogue 
We can sit and talk about it
5 mins Mr. Officer
Your time has officially started

#5 mins
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