8 Minutes 46 Seconds Poem by Uche Nwanze

8 Minutes 46 Seconds

Rating: 4.9


Eight minutes, forty six seconds is all it took for my world to crash.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, all it took for my tomorrow to be stolen.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, because of the colour of my skin.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, if only I were White.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, all it took for all my dreams to be taken away.
Eight minutes forty six seconds is all it took for my pursuit of happiness to vanish.
Eight minutes forty six seconds all it took to breathe my last.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, if only I could breathe.
Eight minutes forty six seconds is all it took for your voices to be heard.
Eight minutes forty six seconds and the world wakes up to our reality, it has always been with us.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, no one to respond to my call for help.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, is all it took for my American dream to die.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, all it took to see Minneapolis no more.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, my forty six years on earth grind to a halt.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, I couldn't say goodbye to my two kids.
Eight minutes forty six seconds,suddenly the world realises black lives matter.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, my death turned into a campaign rally.
Eight minutes forty six seconds, my skin an object of ridicule to a relic for canonization.
Eight minutes forty six seconds is all it took.

8 Minutes 46 Seconds
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Topic(s) of this poem: police brutality,racism
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
The poem 8(Eight) Minutes 46(forty Six)seconds chronicles the events of May 25 in Minneapolis. The circumstances that led to the death of George Floyd. Racism, police brutality, inequality in the system exposes the flaws in our world. We cannot pretend it is not with us.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Edward Kofi Louis 18 June 2020

Racism! ! ! A serious issue all over the world! But, more dangerous in America. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

3 0 Reply
Oluwatosin Olaoye 11 June 2020

So so pathetic how a living was halted for no good reason. So sod

2 0 Reply
Uche Nwanze 12 June 2020

So true, thanks for your kind comments

1 0
Kingsley Egbukole 19 June 2020

The evil of racism beautifully portrayed. Very good poem

2 0 Reply
Bernard F. Asuncion 18 June 2020

An excellently conveyed touching poem. Simply powerful...10++

2 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 07 September 2022

5 stars for significance of the poem.

1 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 07 September 2022

(cont.) Did I say God should have made humans all the same color? She should have made us all the sams gender as well. btw, I no longer believe in God.

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 07 September 2022

-I was not in the minds and 'hearts' of the police involved. Life sucks at times and racism is only one one causes.

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 07 September 2022

My main exposure to racism was from TV news. Too bad God did not think kindly enough about humans to make us all black, or yellow or green or purple or...white.

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 07 September 2022

I am a 'white' human male. I was raised in central New York State with few 'blacks' in my small dity, though maybe five % of my high school class were not white.

0 0 Reply
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