If I free myself today, how will you?
Hearing and seeing from close and far,
We remember, forget, and remember more,
But I wouldn’t dare assume,
I’ve been in your shoes
News reaches my ears and eyes,
A child’s crying,
A Mother’s wailing,
A Father’s derailing,
An elder statesman’s heart failing,
News reaches my body and mind
A billion men torn up inside today,
A billion women even more, and others too,
We can deduce by hearing and looking up what’s new-
Straight-faced and strait-jacketed,
Holding back tears to be worthy of one’s “work”,
We forge a copy of our authentic self,
“Professionalism”- it’s called, well…
(We all know what that means)!
Wisdom may be passed from generation to generation,
Shared and handed off, warm, into soft hands-
Father to son, mother to daughter,
Friend to friend…
My neighbour and I are Thirty years apart,
And I see his wisdom and humility,
Maybe forged out of necessity,
In our local Southern-American scenery,
I mumble on and on, about what I can only perceive,
Combined with the facts that’ve reached me of our local history,
The spices sprinkled in the eyes of our County-
Brushed aside and marketed by the State Uni,
As Damn Good Dawg win parade confetti,
We speak peace and what could be-
I’d rather all my oldschool classmates graduated,
And got their tuition free,
Rather than trying to play the lottery.
While for others without this privilege of leisurely observation,
I see you out there in the economic wilderness-
Some doing good works,
Others more malicious deeds,
Conforming to orders from above-
Who’s commandments did you follow today?
And who’s commandments did that person follow?
When will you and I be free, to be?
To pick between our own free will decision tree?
I hear about “you” from a news article,
Predefined in neat categories with messy ramifications-
“Black, White, Latino, Indian, Chinese, African, Australian, Indigenous, Multiracial, American, Gazan, Congolese, Korean, Sudanese…”
Numbered for accountability-
This many dead, this many buried, this many cremated-
And these capsized at sea…
Calamities avoidable once and for all,
When we’ll work to preview what we see!
Let’s shift our focus?
How many lives saved today by unspoken means?
How many lives we’ll extend by a Malaria Vaccine?
How many couples married today?
And how many lucky marriage escapees?
How many children born,
How many brought home, happy and healthy?
How many with grandchildren, remarried?
How many political prisoners let free?
How many warheads spared,
on our so-called enemies?
(Why the beefed-up arms?
Why the patriotic insecurity?)
I think we need to have a little faith-
How many trade deals,
bringing opportunity to the lowest rungs?
How many exceptional farm yields,
fertilised by simple cow dung?
How many farmers’ children-
enjoying a childhood their parents never got?
How many farmers literate with smart phones,
taking breaks to share online their thoughts?
How many peacekeepers anticipating
The moves of power-brokers?
And giving a tip here, and tip there, gently guiding the canoe,
How many dreamers praising midnight,
and how many gentle jokers,
Turning Green to Blue…?
Say bon voyage!
Espionage be gone!
Trust in fellow Earthlings,
the Unity of The Song!
Make America Better Than It’s Ever Been! I can say out loud, Easy- because I’m classified American,
And together with all of ya’ll, (Who aren’t demons!)
We can live more easily, effectively,
Trying to pick the right things to do-
Shall we come together now with peace,
Across national borders?
I say- Do Your Thing, Do the Right Thing,
Even if it’s against (Whose?) Orders.
I’ve spoken a few words here, now take your turn,
We have long lives to live and many ideas to learn.
Waiting, leaning-in,
I’ll be listening to your version
Of what it means for you to be you,
As I dream of being an Everyday person…
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