At twenty-five I got accepted into the police academy. I graduated third in my class. I had the privilege of being a cop under the direction of a black Mayor in Kansas City, the first black police chief, and the first black president. Eight years of putting others ahead of myself. Eight years of believing it was my duty to judge people, tell people what was right and what was wrong. I helped a lot of people. I was a welcoming face. I cared about people so much, if I put someone in handcuffs in the cold, and I couldn’t put them in my car, I would hold their hands in my gloved hands so they stayed warm.

Rick Benjamin

Learning to Shoot at Things that Moved

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Soup-cans, tires searing in the summer
air, coke bottles so old the red rubbed
off— these were easy to shoot at, even
while the Winchester bucked back into
my shoulder like his fist bruising my
body near to death. Just hold your
breath, he said, just squeeze the trigger
until it surprises you.