Sunday Scribblings asked for “You Are Here” poems. Hope the picture shows up on the post; if not, click HERE to see the actual picture.
You Are Here (X)
Even if you don’t wanna be;
Even as retirement funds are ransacked by the rich;
Even as pneumonic peasants hack back phlegm, sewing your clothing on ancient Singers;
Even as Predator drones are sending a bit more of Afghanistan back to the time of the Prophet (pbuh), OK’d by the Nobel Peace Prize winner;
Even as young girls are raped and sold into slavery all around the world, including your city;
Even as unions, which fought for the two-day weekend, the 40-hour week, pensions, and benefits are now demonized by people who don’t understand their “party” is back by CEOs;
Even as Rush pops Viagra and scans the crowd of boys at the B-ball court;
Even as a middle-class family loads what they can into their new home – the Gran Torino;
Even as ignorant people think Global Climate Change is like religion – damn the science, we choose our beliefs according to our pastor;
Even as my hometown has suffered three “hundred-year floods” in FIVE years;
Even as the Tea Party drinks Kool-Aid from exquisite china cups;
Even as the One Percenters party with the Koch Brothers, who host Republican members of Congress and, yes, five conservative Supreme Court justices; and
Even as those justices go back to Washington and declare G.E. and Halliburton “people”;
Even as kids dig for China on a Gulf beach and, two feet down, find gooey tar and run crying to their Day Care Providers;
Even after all this, why do you hold onto hope, crushing it till it oozes between your fingers and drips on the once-lush yard, now brown as a newborn fawn?
Because YOU ARE HERE. There is no escape. And so you pick up your sign and head to Wall Street, or you clutch your Swiss-cheesed Constitution and write letters, or you call your Senator’s local office and talk about it, or you sign up to recall some schmuck whose seat was bought and paid for by the Koch Brothers.
You are here. You are the only hope. You and me. And the time is now.
© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Sharp Little Pencil 
Debbie
Powerful, as always, Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Debbie. Sorry it’s taken me so long to comment… I’m swamped! A
leesis
Amy this is simply awesome!! You rock woman
Sharp Little Pencil
Leesa, right back atcha! Thanks, sweetie. Amy
vivinfrance
Even while there is beauty in the sky, the trees, the landscape
even while there are kind people, hard-working people,
even whilw there is something to look forward to,
even while there is generosity, sympathy, love,
even I will not be depressed
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for the antidote to my poem, Viv. It’s true, quite true. I think my depression is still taking charge in some of these works, but as an activist, I get so damned impatient with the world! Amy
Old Egg
At last I think we realize that we have been fooled. But is it too late? Are those that can implement change in bed with big business, who care not one iota. I am angry too but feel powerless.
Sharp Little Pencil
Robin, they WANT you to feel powerless. Don’t give in. Keep writing, keep the faith. There are more good people in the world than we know.
I knew from day one of Iraq that it was a sham. I protested, bullhorned, did all I could, but I’m just another ant under The Big CEO’s magnifying glass, trying to dodge rays of the sun. And still, I live to fight another day. Tomorrow, I’m off to Occupy Madison, one of the many sites that have sprung up in the States to protest Wall Street’s monopoly on power. America is screwed unless we can get Congress cleared out and start fresh — and get the money OUT of politics. Hang in there, babe. Amy
Jae Rose
Good to have you back Amy..with your banner of conviction and powerful voice..glad you have kept the pencil behind your ear..ready to pick up the scribbling again..Jae
Sharp Little Pencil
Jae, it is good to be back, but I am so backlogged with comments, oy! Trying to visit everyone who comments, though… part of my promise to myself as a blogger, so see you soon! Love, Amy
Altonian
Bloody well said, Amy. It looks as though you are as pissed off about things as I am. Our thoughts on this prompt are pretty close together. One can always try and vote things better – but it doesn’t really matter who you vote for, the government always wins.
Sharp Little Pencil
I believe the Grand American Experiment may be heading for revolution… it’s already at revulsion. This does not bring me pleasure, saying these words, but until the Top One Percent learn how to play nicely with the rest of us rabble, they had better start fortifying their castles. Most Americans are not pacifist, as I am, and I’m afraid of what’s coming, truly.
Kim Nelson
“Be the change you want to see…”
Sharp Little Pencil
Exactly. First, it’s identifying the change; then it’s a matter of how one goes about it. I combat it all with love and hope and righteous indignation… none of which are mutually exclusive. If you love life, you must act at times, in peaceful ways, and in hope… Thanks, Kim… Amy
Sue
Holy, holy. This may be your best yet, Amy. Amen.
Sharp Little Pencil
Sue, man, this was the best comment ever, if only because it came from someone at my church! Too cool for school! Love, Amy
Lafemmeroar
Dealing with the malfunction of the universe is a big challenge, but not if people band together 🙂 Great post.
Sharp Little Pencil
Hence Occupy Wall Street… and other cities, right? Thanks, hon. AMy
Renee Espriu
Not a true activist in the way you are, Amy, but agree with you on every count. Me, I am just highly opinionated and you can tell by the way I live my life. This hits every chord and then some. Awesome!
Sharp Little Pencil
I knew you would identify with this, Renee. Ironically, running this blog keeps me from some of the activism I should be working on!
Daydreamertoo
The world is upside down now and it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it all sorts itself out again, with or without we humans to hurt or, help it anymore.
Thanks for the mail. I mostly never return to read a blog once I’ve commented simply because I get carried away with whatever I’m doing next and forget.
I appreciate your taking time to email with your reactions, thoughts, comments.
Not an easy journey is it, at times yet life is for the living, really. 🙂 Hugs and may God continue to bless you.
Sharp Little Pencil
The world… oy. The Chinese have an old curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Ain’t it the truth?
I rarely get back to my comments on others’ blogs either, hence the email. Upside down, inside out, this world is still OURS to take care of. Too bad the frackers don’t understand this, as they set off mini-earthquakes and despoil potable drinking water… it’s enough to make me go bonkers. Thank God for therapy!
dreamingthruthetwilight
A very strong message Amy for motivating people to do what has to be done in the given moment…whatever be or however hopeless be the circumstances.
Sharp Little Pencil
I wish I could have instilled hope as well, but until we ACT, there is no hope. We are learning from the Middle East that change comes from a fire in the belly. We used to know that! Thanks, Nadira. Amy