If They Kill Me Too

If they kill me too
I hope you put my picture everywhere.
Do not choose this one.
I do not want to be remembered in a field of flowers.
Pick one where I am furiously alive—
A force that cannot be contained.
Do not let them depict me as anything I am not.
And when they blame me for my own death
do not pass around photos and videos of my body.
Proof of black death should not be needed
in order to garner enough empathy
to fight for black life and pursue justice.

I am a woman
Queer and Black
and as I write this, alive
with every part of my being.
My parents raised me to respect authority
and take pride in who I am.
My parents raised me to stand for what I believe
and do what I have to do to get home safe.
My parents taught me to put my hands up
keep a level head
and speak with clarity.
And still, I know even if I do everything correctly
I can still lose my life.

If they kill me too
Like they kill my brothers and sisters
Play Maggie Rogers at my funeral
and take care of my loved ones.
Tell my dog he was my favourite gift
and give my soccer balls away to good homes.
Spend some time sitting in a field of flowers
and maybe take some pictures.
Don’t post hashtags of my name
unless you intend to push for change
and remember me as I am
alive
complex
and human.