The first language anyone ever learns is body language.
This is why
When you cut me off on I-35
And I risk my life,
And the lives of those around me,
To take both hands off of my steering wheel
And give you two whole-ass
Well manicured,
Excellently executed middle fingers
You know exactly what I am trying to tell you.
See it’s not just in the fingers
The rage.
It’s in my eyes
My scowl
The bulging blood vessel in my neck.
This comforts me
Because I know this asshole knows they pissed me off.
This is effective communicating.
Body language is amazing
Because without saying anything,
I’ve said so much.
Let’s assume
That he couldn’t hear her.
Probably because the instant he perceived something
He started shouting at the top of his lungs.
Let’s assume
That he couldn’t see her very well.
That can sometimes happen when you’re shining a bright light into a dark room.
Let’s assume
That he has in fact come across other human beings before.
According to state requirements
He had to be at least 19 to apply to be an officer.
That means 19 years of,
Presumably,
Seeing and communicating with other humans.
Let’s remember the start of this poem.
The first language that anyone ever learns is body language
Now I would imagine
That the body language of someone in their home,
Minding their own fucking business,
Suddenly seeing a bright light and hearing shouting
At 2 o’clock in the morning,
May not be the most welcoming of body languages.
But there’s a definite difference
Between a body communicating an attempt to harm
And one just
You know
Chilling.
Playing video games.
Being black in their fucking house.
Fun fact.
It takes me two seconds
To form two well crafted middle fingers.
Or one if I really believe in myself and my cause.
A testament less to my dexterity
And more to the human body being an amazing thing.
Able to communicate in a variety of expressive ways.
A lot can be said in two seconds
Without saying anything.
Like how,
In two seconds,
This officer decided his prejudice
Should take precedence when responding to a "neighborly welfare check."
Communicating through weapon drawing and shouting
Rather than literally any of the training
He presumably went through to respond to a non-emergency call.
Two seconds.
The human body can do incredible things.
But communicating it’s validity for existing
In less time than a white officer can scream
“Show me your hands”
Shouldn’t need to be one of them.
See it’s not just in the fingers
The rage.
It’s in my bloodstream.
It’s in my newsfeed.
It’s in an entire community paying taxes
To be labeled targets
In our own spaces of existing.
Fun fact.
The human eye can physiologically detect up to 1000 frames per second.
Can process an image seen in just 13 milliseconds.
Can see items moving at speeds up to 550 miles per hour.
I wonder
How fast Atatiana Jefferson would have had to be moving
For this officer to have seen her as a human being.
Worthy of a little more of his time.
The first language anyone ever learns is body language.
Fun fact about bodies.
When used to effectively communicate
They become movements.
Tempests.
A conglomerate of unified voices with one motivation.
Justice.
About the Creator
S.C. Says
S.C. Says is an Austin based slam poet who has been performing slam poetry since 2013. He's toured and featured at venues and universities across the country, and his poetry has been viewed over 700,000 times.
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.