we the people

This poem was originally published for Shippensburg University's The Reflector in 2018.

A day in America

Is a whirlwind of fear

Disguising our sadness with cheer

We take our worries for our children

Who will be engulfed in the violence

We trade our tears and our condolences

For nothing but silence

The government just watches while we

Drown ourselves by crying

Put down a hand, change demand

Damn, our people keep dying

And Don believes in the flag but not

Those who fought; caught up in the fame

And the light, while people of color are getting shot

Point blank. So we caution

Body camera malfunctioned

What are our options?

Officer moved down a rank

The media softens; turning a blind eye

Like this doesn’t happen often

Make us faceless and burn our pride

They say it gets better but they lied

They push our hopes to the side

But we cannot abide, we cannot deny

America is home to crime and to an uprise

Against the man and his guys

Planning our demise

But it’s time to decide

Whose side we can trust

For times like these there’s no precedent

The states are messes, we take our best guesses

At who would be better than #notmypresident

Hilary might have been shady but wouldn’t have been crazy

Bernie or Bust may have been naïve but at least we could perceive

A future for our children where the Earth won’t be dust

A tomorrow where our people won’t have to lust after peace

Jeez. I guess it’s time to make a plan, to stand up to the man

The other generation will have to adjust

If we have to scream then we must

We are damn near on the cusp

Of World War III on our knees

Freedom we’ll have to seize

For a nation, we are one and

We are far from done

America is not for the faint of heart

It’s for those who know where we need to start

Hand in hand, we fight as one

Until color is not a threat to the gun

Until sexuality is allowed for everyone

Until identity is valid under every sun

Until girls no longer have to run

Until WE THE PEOPLE includes EVERYONE.