The Trayvon Martin Story

Trayvon Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman back in 2014. There was no real justice for the young man, except for the fact that the story of his death opened this generation’s eyes about racism happening in America. Of course, prejudice was occurring all over the U.S, for many years, but in this day and age, Trayvon Martin’s death opened the floodgates for black protestors and other races that are against racism to stand against killings in America against the African American community simply because of the color of their skin. Lillian Bertram, an English professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, took it upon herself to delve into Martin’s homicide story, and create a creation myth in his honor. According to Britannica, a creation
Lillian then brings Volcano people into the poem, describing them as having “footsteps of ash laden with minerals.” Assuming she’s referring to the black community, she gives them strong, creating abilities. She shows that the Volcano people create several natural phenomenons that the water people harvest and use to their own advantage. Lillian explains that over time, “the people changed, the other’s ways passed out of knowledge.” This lead to the introduction of the “singing boy” of the story, meant to depict Trayvon Martin. Just as in reality, the singing boy was said to have been leaving a market with “teas and candies.” Lillian adds that he was singing made up songs as he walked, highlighting the character’s innocence in the situation. The song goes, “diadem diadem, rune O rune, fast sleeping swamp, a deep cocoon, sun always wakes me too-soon, too-soon.” Again, just as in reality, the singing boy approached his father’s house when an old, troubled water person became startled by the singing boy’s singing. Something as innocent as singing offset the man and cause him to take unnecessary action against the defenseless young man. “With every step, rain steamed up from Singing Boy’s path and showered down upon him.” Obviously, Trayvon Martin had a reason to wear a hood that day because, just as in the poem, it was raining. He wasn’t being “suspicious,” as his killer, George Zimmerman, claimed he was. He was just a 17-year-old
This, in turn, frightened the Troubled Man caused him to wrap his hands around the boy’s neck and began to “squeeze out the sing with all his might.” This was a way of saying he took the life from the young man. Unfortunately, the poem coincides with reality in this aspect; the Troubled Man, or George Zimmerman, took the life of the Singing Boy, Trayvon Martin. The poem fades out with the lyrics of the Singing Boy’s life. “You spook, you punk, you coon in green grass you lie in vainyou die too too too you slain under alabaster moon too-soon too-soon too-soon.” These lines summarize what the poem is about; an unnecessary, unreasonable death of a young man with his entire life ahead of him. The actual crime report of Trayvon Martin’s death states that on February 26, 2012, the seventeen-year old young man was on a ten-day suspension from school, so he was going to his father’s house. He went to grab a few snacks from a store, when George Zimmerman seen him and assumed he was a dangerous man that posed a threat to his and others safety. Zimmerman called the police, but failed to comply to their requests to not pursue Martin. Trayvon