Headlines,
breaking news
multimedia coverage of too much
unnecessary suffering
at the hands of gun wielding authorities
notorious for dealing out
different strokes to different folks
as mood or mandate
or fear dictates
and racism trumps the high ideals
of Officer Friendly
and runs roughshod and unapologetic
over basic human rights
multimedia coverage of too much
unnecessary suffering
at the hands of gun wielding authorities
notorious for dealing out
different strokes to different folks
as mood or mandate
or fear dictates
and racism trumps the high ideals
of Officer Friendly
and runs roughshod and unapologetic
over basic human rights
Forget
equality and respect
at the hands of the blue-suited man
endorsed by racist faces staring back
at so many ordinary people
from bathroom mirrors
and store windows
shattered and scattered
on concrete and asphalt
like a thousand million shards
of hopes and dreams
bleeding dry the famed mountain
where Martin Luther King proclaimed
“I have a dream!”
at the hands of the blue-suited man
endorsed by racist faces staring back
at so many ordinary people
from bathroom mirrors
and store windows
shattered and scattered
on concrete and asphalt
like a thousand million shards
of hopes and dreams
bleeding dry the famed mountain
where Martin Luther King proclaimed
“I have a dream!”
Forget
dignity and worth
if his skin is brown like mother earth
or black as midnight
like the lies the jury swallowed
hook, line, and shine them shoes
lick them boots
get the fuck off the street
forget the cigars from the local store
the handful of untaxed roll-your-owns
the child behind the pellet gun
if his skin is brown like mother earth
or black as midnight
like the lies the jury swallowed
hook, line, and shine them shoes
lick them boots
get the fuck off the street
forget the cigars from the local store
the handful of untaxed roll-your-owns
the child behind the pellet gun
“Bow down, damn you, bow down!”
cries the uniformed brother
anachronistic player
of the coned hat society
endorsed by racist politicians
posturing pseudo sympathies
while turning deaf ears to cries
of mothers and fathers
of preachers and teachers
of young people boldly holding signs
crossing lines of color, class, and comfort
to reclaim civilization
for their generation
cries the uniformed brother
anachronistic player
of the coned hat society
endorsed by racist politicians
posturing pseudo sympathies
while turning deaf ears to cries
of mothers and fathers
of preachers and teachers
of young people boldly holding signs
crossing lines of color, class, and comfort
to reclaim civilization
for their generation
And
when angry passions ignite
and fight and flight
short circuit clear thinking
and nothing-to-lose
vandalizes, loots, burns and destroys
peaceful solutions seem light years away
like the end of all war, hunger, and hate
out of touch
with anything real
or attainable
and fight and flight
short circuit clear thinking
and nothing-to-lose
vandalizes, loots, burns and destroys
peaceful solutions seem light years away
like the end of all war, hunger, and hate
out of touch
with anything real
or attainable
And
then the marches begin
the hundreds of thousands
maybe the millions
of people of all colors
and ages and class
take to the streets
the bridges, the sidewalks
in cities and towns
all over the globe
lift up strong voices and say
“We are one!”
pick up bloodied shards
of hopes and dreams
and piece them together
with love thy neighbor
and we shall overcome
someday soon
please someday soon
and hoist them high
for peace and justice
and equal rights for all
right here, right now
wherever, whatever
whoever we are
the hundreds of thousands
maybe the millions
of people of all colors
and ages and class
take to the streets
the bridges, the sidewalks
in cities and towns
all over the globe
lift up strong voices and say
“We are one!”
pick up bloodied shards
of hopes and dreams
and piece them together
with love thy neighbor
and we shall overcome
someday soon
please someday soon
and hoist them high
for peace and justice
and equal rights for all
right here, right now
wherever, whatever
whoever we are
Headlines,
breaking news
multimedia coverage
of the good, the bad
the ugly and sad
members of this human race
we take our place
we stand our ground
for peace or not
the whole world round
multimedia coverage
of the good, the bad
the ugly and sad
members of this human race
we take our place
we stand our ground
for peace or not
the whole world round
(for Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Eric Garner)
Christmas Day 2014
Christmas Day 2014
Glenda
for the Poplar Grove Muse
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