It’s really not
That complicated,
Though so many people
Have such a hard time
Figuring it out;
Just live your life
Without stepping on others,
Be kind, giving,
Enjoy your time on
This earth by being
Someone who understands
We’re all in this together.
A wealthy gentleman
Peevishly questions the cost of
Funding public education,
Or helping the poor,
Not satisfied that
These are things that should
Lighten his pockets (As he
Has to make sure his
Heirs will have extravagant
Money and power for
The next several-hundred years).
Another affluent individual
Looks at the figures
And understands that,
In a civilized society,
It costs money to educate
Children and care for
The elderly, a non-issue
For anyone who cares,
He knows his own well-being
Depends on others being able
To succeed as well.
Another explosion
Rocks the building.
He huddles against
His mother’s side,
Feeling her rapid breaths
As she clutches him
Tightly to her.
Perpetual war has
Altered their expressions,
Etching permanent lines
Of fear and resignation
On formerly bright faces,
Innocence besmirched by
Diseased politicians.
She remembers her mother’s
Words, warning of unsound
Men unable to settle
Their differences
Resorting to fighting,
The eternal folly of
Insecure minds.
Nobody liked her,
Or better yet,
Everybody feared her.
She was the one
Who spoke the truth
At inopportune times.
They had no use for
Someone who didn’t live
In perpetual unawareness.
She would move from
Town to town,
Being herself.
In each place,
Nobody knew what to
Make of her.
Along the way,
Some people understood
And welcomed her.
Faced with
Impossible
Choices,
They make
One that
They hope
Will be the
Least painful.
Sometimes there
Isn’t an easy answer,
But there is
An opportunity to
Hopefully draw upon
An inner sense
Of decency and
Compassion.
She stares at the
Shifting, fuzzy image
Of her husband and
Tells him all the
Mundane but grounding
News about what’s going
On at home, the children
Take turns saying hello,
Too young to realize
What’s really going on.
She asks once again
When he’ll be home and
Gets the same answer.
They sign off with a
Kiss, fingers on
The screen, bit players
In the latest conflict
Lining the pockets of
The usual opportunists.
Fight like your
Life depends on it.
Shout until your
Throat is raw.
Spread the truth
Until it’s unavoidable.
Make kindness and
Compassion the norm.
Dare to believe the
World can be better.
You are
The light.
No longer
Putting up with
Being forced to
Live as second-class
Citizens
Bowing to
Their oppressors.
They march
In the streets
Not because
They want to
But because
They have
No other choice.
They
Don’t
Believe
In
Peace,
Only
War.
They
Send
Other
People’s
Children
To
Fight.
They
Feel
Absolutely
No
Remorse,
Just
Profits.
