Wasted

Innocently

I walked down the depressed block.

Crack infested,

Lil boys tryin' to be gangsta, drinking forties

Black car rolls up

Shiny metal piece rolls out the window

I hear gunshots

I hit the floor

The gunshots stop

The black car disappears

I feel a stinging pain at my side

I blink slowly

So slowly

I see the lil boys standing over me

"YO, SHE HURT," they scream

I hold my side, my hand is wet;

Hard to pick up

I feel numb

I blink again

I'm breathing hard

I try to scream

"Daddy, mommy"

I hear sirens

An ambulance

Two people

One woman

One man

Slowly,

I blink again

I'm being lifted

Let my eyes close

I see nothing

I see darkness

I hear nothing

But a woman

In a low voice

"We're losing her"

My life flashes before me

Mommy dressing me

Daddy taking me to school for the first time

riding a two-wheeler

My first graduation

My junior high graduation

My high school graduation

It took place just today

I remember

Remember

Getting up to accept my Valedictorian award

Accepting my Harvard scholarship

Innocent children

Mothers running helplessly

Down the block

Dropping to the floor

Holding their child's lifeless body

Close to their bosom

Holding on to what was once theirs

The gates open once more

A new member to my family

Another mother screams

Another father sheds a tear

When will it stop?

No mother wants to give up a child

No father wants to let go

Another gunshot

Do you hear it?

The gate opens

And another seed,

Lost

Another black car

Another shot

Another tear

Another child

Wasted

Inish King