SROs

This piece is called School Resource Officers, or SRO for short. It was inspired from an episode of John Oliver.

I’m doing a science experiment, you know
Where the bottle cap pops off?
Yeah but what they heard was
a guns chamber pop off

So I’m arrested by my SRO
Felony on the record
I’m only 13 years old
Not the best way to start a story I’m told

I spell my sorrow - SRO
Guns and a badge like every other PO
Huntin me’s the game - I’m scared yo
All these cops no souls just jigglin’ jello

Whippin me creamy with cuffs
Cause I threw a paper plane 
so what?!?!?

Can’t I be a teenager?

I spell my sorrow – SRO

Teachers paid dirt
and we’re their worthless seeds
As they try to garden us 
and make us into trees
but they can never guard us
against the artillery
All these baby stumps
everyday, more we see

[trees as a stand, juxtaposition there’s more 
in the tree metaphor, growing, building walls]

I got nuerodiversity and ADHD 
so your rules 
they don’t come so easily
if even one of my toes is off the line
I’m getting tackled for this crime
I might not do any time
But I gotta check off the box
have you ever been arrested?

I spell my sorrow – SRO

You expect me to learn in this atmosphere?
This place that gives me most of my fear?
As if being bullied wasn’t enough
Now I ask myself everyday
will I be spittin’ up ketchup?

One minute I’m in art class  
making brush strokes,
Next minute crackin glass,
He strolls in a few rifles under his torn coat
and now your sworn oath’s blood soaked 
and any trust been broke a long time ago

I spell my sorrow – SRO

He drops me there
I fuckin hate school!
These cops be scared and Lapierre
hardly cares about how we lay bare
with our bloody bears 
and a few lucky ones spared

Smearing blood on my face
hoping to fake my fate
You still sellin truck of AKs
Puttin’ that 8 gauge
In my brother that’s only 8

Patkland and Uvalde both had SROs
Their SRO were strapped 
and yet 19 kids still got cracked.

I spell my sorrow – SRO

As he sees me in his scope
All these knights of kevlar froze
As they sang “let it go”

Yeah 

you let us go

Why tho?

Am I worth so little?
All cuz I threw a skittle?
Why is your love for me so brittle?
I never asked to be born
But I’m stuck in this riddle

My existence minimized
Next to guns that are legalized
and yet anyone can buy
these machines, teen homicides

More SROs is the suggestion
So we can proven again 
how they lead to aggression
and more funeral processions

More SROs is a curse
no counselors or a nurse
No psychologists of course
just all us kids leaving in a hearse

Doesn’t seem 
like you really give a fuck about me,
So guess what adults?
Don’t be so surprised at the next killing spree.

Please visit 5calls.org and demand action against gun violence and support the local and federal bans on assault weapons