<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson Burns</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson burns,<br>I hear the outrage of a people<br>with lives rendered valueless<br>once and for all.<br>A people with hearts that can bleed<br>onto the streets<br>without recourse.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson burns,<br>I hear the anguish of a mother<br>twice destroyed.<br>First by one man, then by a country<br>whose justice<br>does not extend to her flesh.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson burns,<br>I hear the conscience of millions</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">INDICTED.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">Who hoped for more<br>but expected nothing less.<br>Who will wait for the flames to be extinguished<br>during the commercial break.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson burns,<br>I hear the voices of unchecked power<br>and shudder at the knowledge<br>that they will come for me one day.<br>That my day, too, will come<br>to bleed onto the street<br>without recourse.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">And so,<br>as Ferguson burns,<br>I hear the voice inside me chant,</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">“Burn on.”</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">Let the fires burn<br>until every ear<br>is ripped open.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">Let the fires burn<br>until the weak<br>the disadvantaged<br>the oppressed<br>are not alone<br>in their hot rage<br>at the brutal confirmation<br>of their own expendability.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">Let the fires burn<br>until every city, every town<br>is on its knees.<br>Until there is no choice<br>but for all of us<br>to burn alone<br>or rise again<br>together.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">As Ferguson burns,<br>I hear my voice cry out.</p><p class="story-body-text" itemprop="articleBody" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.4375rem; max-width: 540px; ">“Burn on.”</p><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> - Angel Butts </span></div><div style="font-family: nyt-cheltenham, georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 18px; "><em><br></em></div></span></body></html>