Words fail to awaken on the page
when words fail.
Words dreamlike fight rage
in nightmarish schemes
when words fail.
Before Liberty shut her eyes,
and with despairing cries,
fell into freedom’s now-unsafe harbor
words gave us wings to fly
and above all troubles soar.
Now, words shut down
as they are shot down
as all around us words are bound
with hateful cruelty
demanding fealty
to lying thieves
upending beliefs
in a common humanity.
It is sheer insanity
and words fail to do it justice.
Lower courts words fall before SCOTUS’s lust
for false security, the only surety
that this is how nations fall into the dustbin of history.
Words are buried so deep
they too soon fall asleep
to escape the pain of obscurity.
That the people rise
is no surprise.
Whose words will act as guide
to peaceful resolution
and a safe conclusion
to those shoveling dirt into our eyes
and blinding us to truths that must not subside
into a deep sleep
to avoid seeing those who weep?
Who will speak now?
Is anyone still awake, still woke?
annarino writes 