It is over. I turn my head in shame.
Shoulders fall and I feel the defeat;
Found this corner to call my place,
and these calluses are for my feet.
Body weary from work I despise.
My mind worn down from these
political, social, and religious lies.
I turn and walk away from this day,
because I cannot stop the killing.
I cannot stop the bombs that drop,
or all the bullets that keep on flying.
I cannot stop a man from joining the clan,
Or bombing my brown brothers;
****** my sisters, destroying our mother.
I trip and stumble start to mumble
“What the hell is wrong with me?
Why can’t I make them see what I see?
Why can’t they see and believe in the beauty
In the human spark raised in dignity,
The blade of understanding sharpened by diversity?
Why can’t they listen with my ears,
hearing the music of people that I hear,
the pleasant sound of a foreign accent,
the learning of something new even if it is by accident?”
I turn my head not only in shame but ashamed of
those who I love but for whom love is not enough.
Those who cough and sputter spitting vile barbs of hate,
Who rage and waste these precious days,
Not really hearing what it is I am trying to say.
Crossed flags and burnt crosses,
Lines only few dare to cross and the tragedy is,
we are all in this together.
I turn my head to rest it on my pillow,
because today I am tired and heartbroken,
but tomorrow I will be better.
I can only fall so far till I rise again.
You may be my enemy now,
but an enemy is just tomorrow’s potential friend.