Monday night the the grad jury announced their decision not to charge Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed 18 year old Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO on August 9, 2014. I watched the coverage with my my husband, whispering to the the television, “please be safe” over and over again as the split screen showed the gathering protestors. It’s the closest I could come to prayer. At one point, I went into our small half bath and wept.
I have a lot of feelings about the events leading up to and after the announcement on Monday night. I also have the urge to write, so for now, that’s what I am going to do.
I offer up these two pieces by the brilliant poet, Danez Smith. The first is his poem, “not an elegy for Mike Brown,” which I posted on my Facebook wall several months ago, but felt the need to re-post in light of the decision that came down Monday night. The second is an open letter Danez Smith posted on Tuesday.
Brianna Pike 