Piedmont High graduate Nidhi Naroth won the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s annual “Justice for All” contest with her poem, “A Murderer at Large.” The theme of year’s competition was “Race and Law Enforcement — Let’s Work Together to Make it Better.” Three students won a total of $1,000 in scholarship money, funded through the District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture program. Nidhi’s winning entry is below.
A Murderer at Large
I did nothing wrong, why did he pull me over
I have the slightest suspicion that he’s not sober
His car flashes red and blue commanding me to be scared
I do this all the time but I’m never fully prepared
This correct stranger in steel blacks and unfriendly blues
I’m dressed in my career, my livelihood down to the bruise
He’s marching with excessive pride
I walk in simple strides
He flaunts cold badge of power and authority
A symbol of what I’ve done and my dedicated seniority
I think of news reports of people like me dying because of their skin color
I think about radio reports of police being killed during a pullover
I hope he doesn’t use his gun
I hope he doesn’t have a gun
He doesn’t know I have a family expecting me
I have a family awaiting anxiously
Maybe I’ll have to use my gun
I hope I don’t have to use my gun
My sweaty hands hold at the barrel
My cautious hand on my holster expecting peril
He comes up to the window
I come up to the window
I see the gun in his hands
I see the gun in his hands
I’m scared
I’m scared
I pull the trigger
I pull the trigger
Two bodies lay lifelessly
Both died thinking they shot righteously
The media will polarize the situation
Feed the issue into an already divided nation
They’ll try to pass judgement on a delicate controversy
They’ll try to decide which dead man receives blame and which one deserves mercy
Which family deserves to mourn more
Which side gets to keep the score
But both are a victim of something much bigger
For it was the murderer called fear that pulled both triggers
. . . . .
by Nidhi Narot
Leave a Reply