Thoughts of an 11 year old

My 11 year old spends his quiet time writing poetry.  Events which have occurred in the past few years have influenced his writing.

No matter how much we assure our childten that they are safe, the constant occurence of  black men dying at the hands of  police officers leave them feeling scared and powerless.

My son, Simon, uses his poetic voice as his activism and as a means of reclaiming his power.

After hearing about the recent killing of Mr Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, he asked me to publish 2 of his poems which he wrote many months ago.

The following poem was written by Simon John Armstrong - Age 11

INSANITY

Wash me clean
Do you think I'm mean?

Let me rest
I'm trying my best
I'm wearing a hoodie
don't be a bully
I have a fake gun
Don't shoot me tackle my sister and run

Let me walk
I don't have a gun load
Please. Don't put me in a chokehold

What do I do now that I have gone?

BLACK LIVES MATTER...don't get it wrong

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The following poem was written by Simon John Armstrong Age 11

HUGGABLE and LOVEABLE

Help me, HELP ME PLEASE
Would you not help me
Because of the way I look the way
I read a book or the way I cook
To you am I a thug?
I have all the stuff you have, a rug, LOVE, and a hug
In your mind do I have no purpose more than a bedbug?
LIES LIES LIES! You think of us as nothing more than flies
Through the night in cities you hear our cries
No. But to you they're all lies without one look without my hand shook you think I'm a crook and still you look at me with not one look.
I am huggable and loveable.