Everyday
the terrible news of gun deaths
shatters us and once again we think
this must be the moment that
changes everything.
Everyday
more evidence emerges of the thriving
systemic racism in our country
and communities
but we pretend it will end.
Everyday
the levers of power among
corporations and politicians
prevent us meeting the climate challenge
and we pray science will save us.
Everyday
we must embrace the bigger picture
of a greener more equitable world
in whatever way we can.
Everyday
there are efforts to work toward
these possibilities but they mostly
escape our Twitter feed.
Everyday
we must take the next step
even when we lose trust in the outcome.
It's our hope for the future,
depending of course on what we wish
for the generations to come.
Each of us must make that decision
Everyday.
Nineteen children this time dead
We are not at war
We’re just having a normal day
sending our kids to school
Something is terribly wrong
when nineteen children
don’t come home and
are shot to pieces instead
So what the fuck do you think that is?
It’s not mental illness
It’s not that we don’t love our children
It’s about making money and
preserving power
What will it take for us
to realize that we really can be
a loving and compassionate people?
How to turn from the direction we are heading?
What medicine cures the sickness
now afflicting our politics?
How to make politicians realize
it’s in their interest to do whatever works
to prevent further mass murder
of children?
It sickens me even to ask these questions.
The answers cannot be to sell or
buy more guns
We are not going to ask that
teachers be armed
because no one else is standing up
to protect our children.
Nor can it be just offering
thoughts and prayers
There were 78 incidents of gun violence
in our schools this year
The answers are really quite easy
We know what works to limit gun violence
but it means electing politicians who
think that controlling gun violence
is worth the effort.
Difficult to imagine that this
would be a challenge for them
or that it would not be worth doing
WHATEVER IT TAKES!
But there it is.