I saw a person today wearing
A T-shirt defending the
Civil Rights Movement and
I was deeply grateful that
There are people of conscience
Who are willing to stand in
Solidarity against hatred
And bigotry. History has
Shown us far too often
What happens when people
Don’t speak up.
As has been the unfortunate
But not inevitable story since
The dawn of civilization,
A significant portion of
The populace is unable or unwilling
To feel another’s plight,
Help someone other than themselves,
Thus complicating the entire concept of
Building an equitable society,
Where people work together with
The understanding that each of their parts
Contributes to a greater whole
Benefiting everyone rather than
Wildly enriching a few opportunists.
As always, they are driven by a fervent
Belief that government should get out of the way,
Let them do whatever they want,
Leave the victims to fend for themselves,
Sever the social contract,
Throw the common good into the fire,
Allow unrestrained exploitation by the
Most aggressive and powerful in a
Violent coliseum that only exists when
The countervailing voice is silenced.
It’s so easy
To scream at people
About how lazy they are
Or how little they
Deserve help,
But much harder to
Come up with
Viable solutions
To complex problems,
Although we’ve shown
Time after time
Progress is possible
As long as we care.
You can tell me that
Peace is not possible,
But I know otherwise,
Because, every single day,
I see people loving each other,
Co-existing harmoniously,
Giving up self to help
A stranger in need,
Someone other than them who
Might benefit from a
Word of kindness,
A gesture of solidarity.
So, if peace is not possible,
I say that’s most likely
Only inside you,
A reality, thankfully,
That can be changed today
Should you so desire.
We sat together and
She told me that in her
Many years on this earth
She had come to understand
That real patriotism is
When you care enough
For your fellow citizen
To make sure she has
A job that allows her to
Support her family,
Health care when she
Falls ill, clean air,
Water, food to nourish
Her body, parks that
She can enjoy on her
Her time off, a genuine
Opportunity to move up,
Buy a house, own a car,
Travel, learn, enjoy,
Thrive instead of survive,
Have her voice matter,
Live with dignity rather
Than barely making it
Because some callous
Group of broken beings thinks
Only they are deserving.
Perpetual war keeping
People transfixed on
Existential questions
Instead of rationality.
The dull hum of constant
Death and destruction,
Lives obliterated over
Unsettled matters.
Of course it doesn’t
Have to be like this,
Healing being a far more
Desirable outcome.
He dares speak out against
Undeniable injustice and
The machine shrieks wildly,
Facing its own reflection,
Convulsing at the realization
That it has been exposed,
Dreading the possibility of
Having to pay for what its done.
An alert is sounded,
The minions rise,
A massive smoke screen appears,
Fealty to symbols instead of people,
A diversion to avoid talking
About sordid reality.
This very moment,
If we choose to,
We can agree to
Love one another and
Come together to build
A world of kindness and
Compassion, a place
We can proudly leave to
Our collective children.
They’ve been wondering when
It would be them and it has
Finally occurred with a
Ferocity they could not
Imagine no matter how many of
Their friends told them
About it, the leveling of
Life, limb, love, in one
Deafening, punishing blow;
A child sits in an ambulance.
