Numbers
Numbers
For Breonna Tayloy
On the First Anniversary of Her Death
26
Breonna Taylor. 26-years-old.
Breezy, Black woman.
Bree, exemplary EMT.
Frontline worker at two hospitals.
Pretty. Vibrant. Saver of lives,
who lost her own at the hands of police,
unprovoked, at home.
12
March 12th,
a day too short.
No one could know
just how short.
12
Breonna Taylor goes to bed.
Sweet, sleeping Bree, safe as houses,
dreaming Black girl magical dreams.
But if you’re Black even houses
don’t keep you safe.
12
Minutes after midnight, a battering ram
violates her peaceful slumber.
7
Officers entered the apartment.
1
Good man, her lover,grabs his registered gun
aiming low. A warning shot,
but the invaders come in hot,
bullets like bombs exploding,
leaving plumes of smoke and holes
in the living room walls.
64
Shots fired into Breonna Taylor’s apartment.
5
Minutes she choked on her own blood.
0
Aid was given as she bled to death.
5
Bullets first reported to have killed her.
6
Actual bullets tore into this beautiful, Black woman.
0
Years is how many Breonna Taylor has left to live.
4
Officers faced federally charges for the crimes that killed her.
0
Real justice was done.
1
Of the policemen wrote a book to tell his side of the story.
0
Fucks are what anyone gives about his side or his book.
Countless
Social justice warriors around the globe protested.
Countless
People still mourn her.
13
Is the day in March when we remember Breonna Taylor.
When we remember how she died.
1
Beloved, Black Kentucky woman, Breonna Taylor.
We love you. We will not forget.
1
Breonna Taylor, rest in power.
#SayHerName
10 thoughts on "Numbers"
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Great job on this! #SayHerName
I’ve been revising it what seems like forever, and I still feel like it isn’t there yet, but thanks, Courtney!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you!
Powerful
Thank you!
A fine tribute to Breonna and an indictment of the people and forces that killed her. Thank you.
Thanks!
Amazing poem. Numbers can speak volumes, but you spoke even more.
Thanks, Wendy! Are you coming to the Burn the Mic Poetry Slam on the 15th?