We are divided
Stretched on the rack until we are separated,
limbs popping and muscles tearing
from the strain of dislocation
a condemnation
of those who do not share our beliefs.

Desperate for homogeneity
We try to melt silver, bronze, copper, and gold
Not caring that they have different melting points
Or that they shine bright
in their own right.

Defying chemical law
Our opposites do not attract.
Love or hate
Black or white
Yes or no
Wrong or right.

Our country,
Once a beautiful mosaic in Jimmy Carter’s eyes…
different colors, different shapes
held together by the glue of freedom….
is cracking, the lines that separate us
growing deeper
more divisive
and with one quick blow we will shatter.

It seems as though compromise is a fantasy.
A mythical land without borders,
teeming with colorful butterflies,
that is lightyears away.

They crawl over the earth
Leaving trails of slime behind
Creeping on all fours;
hungry, desperate, and blind
Swallowing sunshine, crashing waves
and dragonflies
Ears filled with cotton, too deaf
to hear their cries
Only pausing when one of their own dies.

Stubby fingers can't grasp the pain
Licking their victims' wounds
with poison tongues to entertain
Incapable of emotion;
Trapped in their upside-down brains
Obliterating color like a
Spreading bleach stain.

They walk around backwards to
see the wreckage they leave in their wake
******* the marrow from the bones they break
never apologizing for their innumerable mistakes
for they lack the butterfly in their brains
that warns them to stop before it's too late.

The prey are waiting
waiting for that generation to die
waiting for an opening in the poison sky
waiting for a ripple of change in the tides
they think "even the stragglers will be gone in time"
but for now are too powerless to do anything but wait.
Wait for the final goodbye.

She melts like molten glass
too hot to touch
she drips, she burns
breaking her doesn't take much

She flows like magma
fluid, never sure
blown to capacity
Volatile while she cools

They try to mold her,
melt the imperfections
but bubbles and cracks are beautiful
regardless of their reception

In her you see it
you see your reflection
so pure, so clear
it's almost deception

for years you admire her
so shiny and bright
sitting on your shelf
casting rainbows in the light

careless, you drop her
into millions of pieces she shatters
impossible to put back together
you destroyed all the parts that mattered

desperate, you try to re-melt her,
recreate the past
but it's too late
you knew from the beginning her state wouldn't last

frustrated, you leave her
a pile of reflective dust
it’s a pity you treated her that way
since you were the only one she could trust.

"You think I don't understand darkness?"
I know you do.
And it's hard for you.
Being rainbow in a world so colorless.
Pumping life into a heart that's bloodless.
Taking the hit even though you were faultless.
Filling yourself up to combat the emptiness.
you were patient; embraced it.
Carried the weight on your shoulders like it was painless.

I know you think we couldn't care less.
But you're wrong; we all know we are blessed.
Even when you’re not at your best, you impress.
Because when they cover you in blankets you still fluoresce.
Never giving up; your beliefs you never second-guess.
Nevertheless you feel the pressure, you feel the stress.
But you inspire me because despite it all, you always find a way
to defeat the darkness.