What have we become

when we scream about borders

and whisper about children

in little cages

called necessary

 

We are that horror movie

finding its reality

that makes one cover

eyes and cringe

no longer is it

necessary

to look beneath beds

or in closets

for our greatest

fears

it walks amongst us

in plain sight

 

wearing suits and badges

and skirts

and middle class

aspirations

 

Its breath is bad

but it talks too

much

to notice

the toxicity

polluting every blade

of grass east of here

west of there

north of this

south of that

 

It made no sense

when it was black

skin

 

it made no sense

when it was red

skin

it made no sense

when it was

brown skin

it made no sense

when it was a

woman’s

skin

it made no sense

when it was a christian

a muslim

   a buddhist

an atheist

a communist

a revolutionary

it never made any

sense

 

it was unthinkable

ungodly, despicable

and divisive

it was us at our

lowest

we thought

but now we surprise

even the wicked

for what have we

become

when we turn our

vileness

towards the children

how do we sleep

comfortably

knowing babies sleep

in pint-sized cages

put there by adults

who are doing

 

their mutha fucking job

 

What have we become

when we close doors

on small dreamers

because they are viewed

as a threat

to someone, somehow

somewhere

 

Do tyrants ever really

see their victims?

Do monsters feel the

fear of their prey?

we can now answer

these questions

because we have become

that horrific

entity

 

lurking in the shadows

waiting to pounce

not only on the

unaware

but also on the seeds

the blades of green

which are supposed to

bring new growth

and vibrancy

but find themselves

hemmed in by what

we’ve become

 

Aren’t we supposed

to love our children

your children

all children

what have we become

when the young

 

have been turned

into statistics

into uncomfortable

alliances

to our greed

and selfishness

unwanted by purveyors

of half truths

and whole lies

 

Have all of us

gone mad

or have too many

of us

grown silent

in the face of evil

cowering in its

presence

numbed by its

 

language

and hypnotized

by its face

 

Since when do children

become threats

to national security

and recipients of so

much scorn

what law was passed

separating us

from the empathy

that in the past

was seen as a

bridge to progress

and advancement

who signed the papers

incriminating us all

in this slaying of spirits

 

at borders created

by men who had no

business

drawing lines in

sand

that was never peacefully

handed over

to them

 

What have we become

when we turn

architects of the future

into monsters of our

imaginations

 

If we will not fight

for children

what is left to fight

for

 

what excuse can

we give

and what excuse

is acceptable     

 

 

(c)2015