Local pens beautiful poem in tribute to George Floyd, victim of US police violence
In international news, the shocking death of African American George Floyd spread like wildfire and sparked outrage across the globe. Floyd was handcuffed and pinned to the ground by white officer who placed his knee on Floyd’s neck. The words, “Please, I can’t breathe,” have been shared widely on social media, which seem to be Floyd’s last words.
Many people around the world have condemned this action and are showing solidarity with Mr Floyd, his family and the entire black community. Local Laura Camilleri shared her thoughts on the matter in a beautifully written poem. “Black lives matter. I wrote this poem as a tribute to George Floyd who just like many other innocent people, lost his life because of selfishness.”
The poem starts off: “I can't breathe.../These words on repeat in my head, /Another man, innocent but dead, /No fault, no crime... /Dead because of a different skin colour than mine.”
She goes on to question skin colour and the presumably justifiable reasons of violence against persons of colour. Laura ends the poem with: “I can't breathe .../ He said as he gasped for air, /Hoping for an answer to his prayer, /Yet alone he died, no one had his back, /All because he was black.”