freedom’s song

ain’t no music
to be played
really
doesn’t matter
the song’s
been heard
before
with words
that
make promises
never
kept
for some reason
folks
always joined in
on
the chorus
guess
flaws are easily
concealed
when
the number
of
voices
are multiplied
but
those damn
solos
never seem
to
attract
a crowd
of
participants
it’s hard
to stand up
and
raise your voice
when
there’s
uncertainty
and
a voting audience
waiting in
judgement
to
contend with
easier
to
just wait
for
the
collective part
of
the song
the chorus
even if words
are
merely mouthed
you can’t
be proven
wrong

grasp straps and pull…

distant words
abhorring
overheard
intended
but
veiled in denial
then
an
all’s well smile
flutters before eyes
repeated gestures
of
oppressors
seen
more times
than
one can count
objective
to grease
success’ pole
before
anyone attempts
to
climb out
of
poverty’s pit
a pit
stared into
by
tormentors
from
its edge
gilded
with
promises
serrated sides
from which
despots
offer
encouraging words
and
relay
how they
arose
from the pit
but
they used
the
stairs

 

dooming moral choice…

simple to ignore
the faces and lives destroyed
when your eyes are closed
if you ask for forgiveness
you’ll find that our ears are closed

 

missionary work…

 

after returning home
to
africa
a friend
wrote
don’t mean
any
offense
but
after
studying history
and
seeing
what’s
recently transpired
your nation
has
never been
as
advertised
united

 

sin added to sin…

first came the lying
next delusions based on lies
then treasonous acts
while calling the innocent
by your own name criminal

 

indiscernible effort…

chambers echo now
words
of
national healing
and
forgiveness
spoken
by
once strident
and
incendiary
voices
but
propose that
to
the dead

 

gnarled old trees…

been
rooted
in the broken promises
of
freedom
for
over two hundred years
so
it should be of no surprise
that
we have grown
roughened
in
our views
of
the future
and
misshapen
in
our attitudes
for
hope
and
justice
in
this nation
oh
when we were young
we could
easily bend
and
not break
when
the winds
of
ignorance and hate
forced
us toward the ground
then
we would rebound
and
once again
grasp at the sky
but
now days
we refuse to bend
nor
do we have to
we have
an outside
that has grown hardened
and
an inside
having knotty memories
of
the pain
of
our lifetimes
we have
grown
and
survived
like
african mahogany

 

proud boys storm walmart…

in
an act
more
seditious
than
the last
another
american icon
has been
besieged
an
al qaeda-like
anarchist
moronic
mongrel mob
entered
the hallowed aisles
of
bargain basement prices
looting items
consistent
with
the american dream
carrying off
cases
of
budweiser
lays potato chips
and
condoms
politico
lindsey
in
another embarrassing
moment
for
south carolina
noted
that
no democrat complained
when
bin laden
was
killed
why the big fuss
over
this
walmart siege
or
that of
the capital
just
boys
having fun
of course
he needs
their votes
when
they get out
of
prison

 

 

expedient allegiance…

they have everything
but they have nothing at all
betrayal’s reward

 

your growing regret …

 

your regret will not
breathe life into those who’ve died
so just save your breath
don’t burden us with more lies
of your spineless behavior