Poem by Norman Dubie in memory of Kelly Thomas

A new poem by ASU faculty member Norman Dubie in memory of Kelly Thomas who suffered a fatal beating at the hands of police in Orange County.

Occupy, The Law 
                          “'…crack that wrist'”
                                            —Pastor Harris

It’s the phosphorus dark, moving
across the little space, a wasting boy
with a light beard
and fat Roman thugs pounding him to the surface.

i’m sorry, i’m sorry

Dad, they are killing me!

(Caravaggio could paint the blue back
of these policemen— the green meat
on their bones, on the larger
bones of their horses.) Fundamentally,

it is the face of softened
turtle meat with a bandage. Fundamentally,

these police men are now
waiting again for Jesus to return
so they can bathe him
in a river of his own blood. Again,

they are hoping to find him
among children.
Whatever you have done unto
the least of these, you have
done it unto me. In Syria, in baptist summary,
in Orange County!

Suffer the little children, he said.
And he meant it.

You violent pastors and police, you’re patient
like horses, like tables
upon which money will be heaped.

Rest, rest in peace.

                              -in memory of Kelly Thomas