so many words uttered
laying on the sidewalk
surrounded by chalk
drawn by children
who once were adults

how many times asked
"will you spend the night?"

that’s how we try to survive
but if you say no
i will ask again tomorrow

nothing personal
then why did it affect me?
it’s all personal
but you didn’t consider that
because it was personal for you
and I’m outside the loop

i wonder if anything can be told empathetically

everybody has their perspective
it’s personal
they believe their story is untold
so how can i tell it for them?

stop holding me back
stop trying to change me
we are two people
why does it mean so much to you
it’s not love that makes you do that
it’s something else
but it’s not me

i wonder if everyone thinks so much
it seems to me they don’t
i’m thinking about them and myself
i watch what they should be doing
how they are interacting
but i realize they are not interacting
they are taking
they have no patience
they will risk everyone’s life to turn left

i wonder what is so important about turning left

there needs to be some sort of resolution
but the loudest among us are too angry to compromise
they just are
and they will follow anyone who agrees with them
even the most flawed person on the planet

as long as he is angrier than them

where did America go?
or in the alternative
has it been born yet?

a parent has high hopes
as do signed documents

but who is raising the baby?
where are its parents?
what example will it follow?
who remembers the high hopes?

i do

life liberty and the pursuit of happiness

all men are created equal

we once held these truths to be self-evident
so why are we killing each other to prove them?
what is the conflict about?

a woman who covers her head
in church while she moistens her finger on a sponge
or on a plane while a man screams at her?

freedom
to die for
not to shackle

freedom
we honor
not ridicule
but if you must
it is your choice

freedom
to live
not to control

freedom
and justice
for all

for all
and everything
is who we are

so why do you want me to be like you?
why are you afraid of me?
i don't want to be like you
i just want to let you be like you
please
let me be like me

let us have a baby together

we can call it

AMERICA