Category Archives: NYPD

I Know Why the Caged Poet Sings

Posted on October 23, 2025 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Some of my favorite poets happen to be named William – William Shakespeare, William Blake, William Wordsworth, and William Carlos Williams. When I meet most people, I often ask them what their names mean or the backstory of their names. … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, crime, ezwwaters, Growing Up, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, NYPD, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Red Record

Posted on May 27, 2024 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In my last blog I indicated that in the next one I would write something about crime and punishment.  For more than half my life, I have written extensively on the subject, in letters to editors, editorials, essays, and anthologies.  … Continue reading →

Posted in ezwwaters, NYPD, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, Politics, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Poetry Matters

Posted on April 1, 2024 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

April is National Poetry Month. It was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996. It is a month to celebrate poets’ integral role in our culture. #poetrymatters. This National Poetry Month, read one of my books of … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, ezwwaters, NYPD, Poetry, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A NYC Subway Story: Just Another Day in the ‘Hood!

Posted on October 13, 2023 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

At the Utica Avenue train station (in Crown Heights, Brooklyn), a peripatetic philosophical “passenger” is lecturing two of New York’s Finest.  He tells them that they don’t patrol the streets “to serve and protect” the people,” but to perpetuate the … Continue reading →

Posted in ezwwaters, NYPD, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

National Poetry Month

Posted on April 3, 2022 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

April is National Poetry Month. Purchase and read one of my three books of poetry. My first, award-winning book, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass: Co-winner of the Edwin Mellen Poetry Prize . . . this poem is … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, crime, ezwwaters, Justice Chronicles, Mother's Messages, Murder, NYPD, Poetry, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, Politics, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Bibliography of Police Misconduct for Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats

Posted on June 18, 2020 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

As I have indicated elsewhere, when working on my collection of poetry about police misconduct, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, I drew on news reports and headlines. While doing a little Spring cleaning, I came across the original manuscript … Continue reading →

Posted in Amadou Diallo, being a teenager, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, crime, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, Lest We Forget, Murder, NYPD, Poetry, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, Politics, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Slaughter of the Innocents

Posted on June 18, 2020 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, I have been rereading some of my poems in my collection about police misconduct, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats. I am even more disturbed now than when in 1995 I … Continue reading →

Posted in being a teenager, crime, Growing Up, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, Lest We Forget, Murder, NYPD, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, race, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Streets of Rage | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

In the Line of Duty

Posted on October 28, 2015 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The heroes are dead and nothing else matters Under a gray sky the women are dressed in black At the grave site hearing homilies paying homage to heroics Their sobs background music to pontificating politicians Under a gray sky the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commissioner Broken Windows, Commissioner William Bratton, crime, Justice Chronicles, Murder, NYPD, Poetry, police-involved killing, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, urban decay, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Latter-Day Heroes and the Drug War

Posted on October 28, 2015 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

There was a time when heroes Died on Holy Quests Nowadays they die For meaningless drug arrests Just fulfill the quota Undercover in the field “Buy and bust” the mission Awarded the Gold Shield Quasi-military honors If in battle die … Continue reading →

Posted in Commissioner Broken Windows, Commissioner William Bratton, crime, Justice Chronicles, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD, Poetry, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, urban decay, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Death of a Police Officer

Posted on October 27, 2015 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

There’s this politically correct narrative happening right before our eyes around the killing of NYPD Officer Randolph Holder, that police lives matter more than Black lives, and other lives. Of course, this is just one more senseless killing in Gotham, … Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, Life Sentences, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Murder, NYPD, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, Reentry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment