I've been having trouble finding the words to respond to everything that's been happening in our country and the world. This poem is what finally came out. Every day it feels like we're adding another layer of dirt on all of our values. I go from anger to fear to sadness and back but I do my best to try to always end up back at hope.
The Phoenix
Did the
phoenix rising from the ashes really need to burn?
Did we
really need this mess to show what we still have to learn?
That our
state is more divided than our states are united
That our
past wrongs and our present both have yet to be righted
That the
cracks that we’re now seeing started in the foundation
That it’s
those who work to fill them who will strengthen our nation
Let our
hearts be sewn together so that we may all believe
When they
come for any one of us it’s all of us who bleed
They want
us to build a wall but we were told, “Love thy neighbor”
Even if she
has a different skin I don’t have to hate her
If your
happiness is found in someone else’s misery
Then that’s
when a a tear slips down the face of Lady Liberty
When it
feels like all this madness will just tear you clean apart
Try to
listen for the beat that comes from our collective heart
As this
storm continues blowing we’re the ones who build shelter
We don’t
have to look around because we’ll each be the helper
We will find
our country’s greatness and make strength out of weakness
Know that
ashes are just ashes and that we are
the phoenix
