I cannot breathe
Pls, I can’t breathe
Do not kill me, man
Please, don’t kill me

I’m just asking for one thing
Not that you let me go, no
As I know I’m never free
But just to breathe like you

Let me inhale some free air
My stomach and neck hurt
They’re quietly turning cold
And my legs and everything too

You might never understand me
As you’re a fruit of the system
The one that owned my ancestors
And a fruit never falls far from the tree

OMG, Mama, where’re you now
You said I should never ever argue
As the police sees me as a threat
But here I lie as they execute me

Bro AKIM, can you hear my plea
You, I thought would understand
For your ancestors felt the chains
Or has the system corrupted you too

I can’t breathe, man don’t kill me, please
I’m also human and feel pain
Yes, you do have your reasons to fear
But why kill me publicly like a wild cat

Does your knee hurt like my neck does
Do the pains of the day lay heavy on you
You could’ve asked that I serve as your seat
But why bent on snuffing me out

I have always heard of police brutality
But never knew it hurts this bad
To be agonizing, and pleading to breathe
As I also hit the black road of no return

By Ali Nnaemeka, OMI

Visit Fr. Ali’s blog – https://emekalison.blogspot.com/