Whose power fills the vein,
courses through the body politic,
amidst the loosening strain
by seeking peace and unity
to replace the the fearful rage
wrought by endless war ?
Culture is not the same
as power playing games
to win at any cost
what some fear they have lost.
What they have lost they took in theft.
No need to now feel bereft
of what one never owned.
Thieves have no honor it is clear.
Nor hesitation to build fear
by bullying, intimidation and threats.
Lies cannot heal the wounds,
nor close veins opened in regret
of what we failed to acknowledge
in a past we chose to skew.
Structures fall in blocks of despair
as we stand in quaking dread
of what might lie ahead.
Disaster and opportunity are well met
in the rubble which now settles about
our feet, and all we doubt.
Thoughts and feelings drift down
in the dust settling all around
thoughts tossed and set askew.
We are left choking on what we cannot see.
A pause is not amiss.
But, we cannot afford to wait
to rebuild a globe and create anew our fate,
and heal the hurts from falling debris
from hidden, hate-filled, fearful history
disclosed as walls and nations tumble.
Gather those who grieve the loss of democracy.
Clear the rubble, dust and minds
with a truer view of history
Dedicate such memory to better buildings.
This is humanity’s strength.
Not the structures of banks and governments;
but the blood flowing in the veins
in powerful resiliency to those who would suppress
truth and honesty.
The muscle and sinew of strong minds and hearts
whose only thought as worlds break apart
is how to build anew
a better, fairer, stronger structure
to protect both me and you.
annarino writes 