First Language

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.