A mural of George Floyd has been painted at the Cup Foods site where Floyd was arrested by Minneapolis police and later died in custody. Judy Griesedieck for MPR News

There have been a few times‬
‪These past months
‪When I couldn’t breathe.‬
‪Panic attacks as I thought‬
‪About life in a pandemic.‬
‪What would happen to me,
My family?
‪Would I make it through‬
‪To the other side‬
‪And see and finally breathe?
‪I made it through.
I can breathe.‬
Today.

‪But he said he couldn’t breathe‬
‪The panic and fear‬
‪Were clear.‬
In his cry, in his voice.
Life was slipping, not by choice.
Restrained, cuffed
Bended knee pressed
Into his neck.
He said he couldn’t breathe.

Violent power of the knee.
He said he couldn’t breathe.

‪And then he lost his breath‬.
‪Forever.‬

‪I can’t believe what I’ve seen.‬
‪I’m sorry, I ask forgiveness‬
‪For all we’ve done‬
‪To create a system‬
‪That takes your life‬
Your dignity, your soul
‪And doesn’t allow you to breathe.‬

You deserved to breathe.
You deserved to see.
I’m sorry you can no longer breathe.

#ICantBreathe
#GeorgeFloyd