I Can’t Breathe

 

Who gave you the right

To place your big fat foot

On my neck?

To block the passage of air

To my lungs?

Didn’t you hear me?

I said
I can’t breathe

 

 

When you choked the voices

That found their way out

Despite the atmosphere

Saturated with your lies and filth

Didn’t you hear me?

I said

I can’t breathe

 

When you were spewing

Your special brand of hatred

Killing, cutting in the name of the cow

The deadly green gas enveloping everything

Didn’t you hear me?

I said

I can’t breathe

 

When you were shoving fear

Down every throat you consider ‘other’

And smothering with your sinister threats

Didn’t you hear me?

I said

I can’t breathe

 

When the good work was done

And the poison gas had spread

As Rohit tightened the noose around his neck

Didn’t you hear me?

I said

I can’t breathe

 

Now that the air is filled

With the black smoke of burning bones

Of loved ones and of strangers

Mingling together

And entering through every pore

Do you hear me?

I can’t breathe

 

Or are you still busy blowing your trumpet

To feed the fog of your self-deluded grandeur

You leave me gasping

I can’t breathe