The first weapon used against black people is now a phone.
The phone is followed by a gun.
The gun is followed by the law.
The law is followed by protests.
Protests are followed by more protests.
More protests are followed by threats.
Threats are followed by tear gas.
Tear gas is followed by rubber bullets.
Rubber bullets are followed by real bullets.
And there are protests, more phones in hand.
Do it all again.

Ashley Elizabeth (she/her) is a writing consultant, teacher, and poet. Her works have appeared in SWWIM, Memoir Mixtapes, and Zoetic Press, among others. Her chapbook, you were supposed to be a friend, is available at Nightingale & Sparrow (June 2020). When Ashley isn't serving as assistant editor at Sundress Publications or working as a member of the Estuary Collective, she habitually posts on Twitter and Instagram (@ae_thepoet). She lives in Baltimore, MD with her partner and hopefully soon a few furry friends.