You say

she killed him.

Not because

he’d put his hands up

or because

he’d turned

and walked away

or because

his car broke down.

She killed him

after

we’d trained her

in lethal violence

after

we’d given her

a gun and a badge

both loaded

with expectation

after

we’d trained her

to see him

not

as a stranded motorist

but

as a black man

AKA a threat.

After

we’d trained her

she gave him

a bullet.

And his family

a funeral.

We gave each other

tired stereotypes

and empty rhetoric.

While we kept

skeptical eyes

on each other.

When

will we talk

honestly

as one humanity

about

who really killed him?

It’s time for that dialog

now.