a poem | a moment of silence

a meditation upon a black candle, a day after the brutal death of Adries Tatane at the hands of the police, in Ficksburg, South Africa. 14 April 2011, 7:44pm

a moment of silence
blk candle burning for
a blk soul tarnished by
batons, fists, rubber bullets 

a moment of silence
pierced by a wail for
a father lost, a son, a brother
a husband bleeding/ they feed
on the bones making this normal 

a moment of silence
the sirens have whined
the chants have rioted
the opinions stated yet
the state remains untoucheda moment of silence…

let the blk candle burn
to the ground/ civilisation ruined
for no blood can be returned
no life reignited
no light breaks black

in this moment of silence…