Tag Archives: trump

ACTIVISTS

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To catch the sunrise

it is necessary to open the blinds

while still in the dark;

in that fearful time and space

our earliest ancestors faced,

before fire made a place

where even in darkness

we feel safe.

Even now, we close our eyes,

awaiting a new sunrise;

one where bombs and hate

stop falling from the skies

in our streets and across our screens

until we quake and scream.

We cannot simply sit in the dark.

Its prospects are too stark;

all blunt, clean-edged lies 

that shadow every truth

which fear denies, 

finally laid bare,

once sunlight fills the air.

We must open the blinds

while skies and lies are yet dark.

We cannot miss the moment.

We must not be caught by surprise.

Be ready for the sunrise.

I wait in the dark and open the blinds.

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ELECTIONS

The tree must come down.

It’s stump must be ground.

Know this,though.

Its roots continue to grow.

The lines we rely upon

To stay safe and strong

Will remain under threat

If we rejoice and forget

The threat those roots make

If we do not stay awake.

The tree may be gone.

But the threat still goes on.

We can take down the tree.

But, stay by me.

We must stay alert and fight,

the tree’s shadows alight.

It takes time for roots to die.

It takes time for truth to replace a lie.

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MORE ON WAR

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My father fought the War

to End all Wars.

My Godfather fought the War

that has no end.

My brother fought the War

that was a police action.

My nephew fought the War

undeclared for Kuwait’s liberation

and Hussein’s annihilation.

My great-nephew fights the War

To save an autocrat’s administration.

We all fight the War

opposing cruel opposition to immigration.

Once more, people of peace

protest a war taking place abroad

and its counterpart taking place in our streets.

All to save a man from accusation

of pedophilia, rape and sheer brutality 

who will be asked for an explanation

during his interrogation

which could lead to his incarceration.

Have I got that right?

It is not his sons nor daughter who will fight.

But, yours and mine.

Have I got that right?

It all comes from The Right

so I must be Right

or face the consequences.

Have I got that right?

We make such war at our cost

until all is lost.

Have I got that right?

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BACKED UP SEWER

Photo by Josh Withers on Pexels.com

No longer can we ignore life

which imitates art 

while art imitates life.

Each part imitates the whole

while the whole

is the sum of its parts.

When the parts break

the whole breaks apart.

The dark drain bears the burden

of  too many broken peaces

and pushes back against gravity;

releases the depravity

and frees the broken whole.

Cleaning crews appear to

remove the waste, fraud and abuse

of leadership run amok among the muck;

Now, so clearly broken, and out of luck.

Hot air blows around every media space

to dry the tears of such disgrace.

Sanitize all you will.

Pack the dirty remnants into opaque bags,

redacted files hidden under seal,

and hide the crimes away.

The sewer can only handle so much

of the dirty secrets we are afraid to touch.

Truth always come to light

when the drain is filled too tight.

Ignoring the dirt contaminates us all,

as we watch the walls of a nation fall.

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BIRDS OF A FEATHER

I envy those still able to place words on a page.

I hesitate at what I might say to display my rage.

Silence is its own subtle, harmful, deadening cage.

I refuse to become like you – a killer 

of all that is good, all that is free, all that is true.

I refuse to become like you – a silent witness

of all that is evil, all who are held in bondage, 

all of the lies which rely upon you.

I refuse to become like you – a sycophant

in silent praise of racist, sexist, xenophobic chant

by tiny minds, fattened by greed, with tiny hands

grasping for the sacred trust, and pedophilic lust

most hide from civil and moral view.

I refuse to become you – a lost boy

in Never-Never Land, fearful and confused,

afraid to grow up, preferring to fly high

above those you believe inferior

so that you can feel superior.

I know who you are; and so, do you.

I refuse to become you; and so, extend a hand

to help you settle down upon a branch of freedom.

It is weakened; it is true.

But still strong enough

with love enough

to hold us…together.

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GETTING DIZZY

I wait upon the turning point

Dizzy and disoriented

By its rapid display

Of reality asway,

Believing the transformation will soon stop.

And if I can hang on tight,

And if I do not drop

All will then become clear.

A new way of seeing the world

And connecting its dots

Will unite us all in every endeavor.

Not because we are so clever;

But, because we must do better

Or destroy our selves,

Dust to dust.

Turning points are dizzying affairs.

We must grab hands to slow its course.

We must focus on a single point as we ride

In constant circles, growing wide,

Until the entire world bounces by

And we all feel the brunt of gravity

As it drags us down past reality

Where the vaguest hopes reside.

When will this end, we ask and fuss?

Knowing how it ends is up to us.

If only the spin would stop long enough

To catch a breath, I could get tough.

It is dangerous to let go when spinned out of control.

The spin disturbs the mindfulness which makes me whole.

If only those who stand and watch would reach to pull me out.

But, they hesitate and obliterate

Any discussion or action

until I fear it will be too late.

What will they think and how will they feel

To watch me destroyed on the spinning wheel?

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ONE CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com…..or at least, always want it….

When did having enough

become having… too much?

Too much… to notice

the unmet needs of others.
Too much… to stop considering

all persons sisters and brothers?

Too much…to vote in elections

and engage in democracy’s protection?

Too much…to pay close attention to news

and recognize propaganda as our muse?

Too much…to keep our eyes open wide

to the manipulation of our grievous pride?

Too much…to fight for workers in unions

and buy American products in communion?

Too much…to protect all our children’s progress

from sexualization, gun threats and media stress?

When did having enough 

become… too much

to pause and consider what the future means

instead of what meaning we hold in our future?

We did not arrive in this time and place

of utter ruination and near-total disgrace

simply because of one man and one political party.

We got here all on our own, so sorry.

We  rugged individuals reach the top all alone.

We see and hear this truth in every tome and tone.

Overcoming all competition

without a need for contrition

that we forged ahead 

without dread

of the kind of world we were creating;

only self-entertaining with no room for debating

that there might be a better way.

In stead we chose to play

video games and  gambling on games.

We have no shame. We simply whine and complain.

Can we finally admit that it is time to quit?

When did having enough

becoming having…too much?

Our commander-in-chief 

has never learned that lesson

His belief mirrors our own belief.

It is bringing this nation nothing but grief.

When did having enough

become having…too much?

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ROCK-A-BYE,BABY

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Get rid of the cradles.

Make America strong.

All day long,

the same twisted song.

No cradles for children sitting at their desk.

Run, hide, fight until your death.

No cradles for special needs learning.

Defund dollars which fulfill childhood yearnings.

No cradles for child workers at night.

Employ them younger and later, even on school nights.

No cradles for the hungry, the homeless and poor.

SNAP and low-income housing supplements are no more.

No cradles for immigrants, nor refugee asylum.

Go back where you came from. You are mere scum.

No cradles for a republic and voting rolls.

Gerrymander away voting rights, for sole control.

America is no longer the beacon of old,

no longer the cradle of democracy, so we are told.

America refuses to follow any rules.

The Rule of Law has become a dictator’s mule.

Americans are almost put to sleep,

distracted by fables, eyes nearly closed.

A nation of immigrants seeking their rest.

Too weary, now, to even try to do their best.

Their minds drift off as their eyelids drop.

Their minds close down as they simply stop.

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

On the treetops.

When the wind blows

The cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks

The cradle will fall.

And down will come baby

Cradle and all.

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KILL THEM ALL?

Fraud plot in which some Somali immigrants participated? All Somalis are garbage so get rid of them all.

Criminal activity in which some African-Americans engage? All African-Americans are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Investigations and questions by journalists you find troublesome? All journalists are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Some women refuse your advances and sexism? All women are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Venezuelan boaters survive an illegal attack at sea? All Venezuelans are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Democrats pass legislation restricting corporate greed? All Democrats are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Military heroes remind military personnel to refuse unlawful orders? All military and veterans are garbage. Get rid of them all.

CEOs defraud, overcharge for goods and services, underpay workers? All CEOs are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Some White people commit crimes? All white people are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Some men abuse and rape women? All men are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Some bankers hide criminal gains, make money off the deposits? All bankers are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Hate has no logic except its power to destroy.

Hate has no reason except its delight in abuse.

Hate has no goodness in thought or in deed.

Hate is a damning influence and creed.

Hate is the one thing no one needs.

Some people hate? All people are garbage. Get rid of them all.

Hate until no one is left alive, no one at all.

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LEVEL 2 EMERGENCY

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Snow fell.

Quiet reigned

aboriginal and free

amid snow’s mystery.

Only the rabbits

left their tracks

to let us know

life still goes on

despite levels of emergency

tossed to and fro

by weather-casters

who took over the news

while Ukrainian children were bombed,

while fishermen’s boats were blown apart,

while military heroes were called traitors,

while brown and black people were secreted away

to secret places behind fencing and weapons,

while scientists were silenced by conspiracy,

while money poured in to false fronts

put in place by false leaders spouting false claims,

while real drug-runners, insurrectionists, rapists and worse

were pardoned and promoted to prod us to succumb

to the darkness weighing down our days as well as our nights.

And still,

the snow fell.

Pure and white,

it covered up every dirty secret.

It hid all sin from our sight.

it made us believe again.

In what? 

What happens when it melts again,

as it surely will,

as it has since the Wampanoag

and every tribe lost its place,

as it has on every plantation

where enslaved persons 

plotted to run away,

as it does now with every bonus paid to an ICE agent

subduing a person of color and hiding them away.

It snowed last night.

It is freezing and cold today.

Snow did not create an emergency.

We did.

And, we keep trying to cover it up.

It snowed last night.

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