Tag: poetry

To My Ancestors

For every one of you who were denied the opportunity 
I will vote 
For every one of you who survived as an act of resistance 
I will vote
For every one of you who dreamed of freedom 
I will vote
For every one of you who died hearing “less than” in your ears
I will vote
For every one of you who had family ripped forever from your arms
I will vote
For every one of you who became strange fruit on a dark night
I will vote
For every one of you who had no say over your body 
I will vote
For every one of you beaten, intimidated, or humiliated 
I will vote
For every one of you who birthed unwanted children
I will vote
For every one of you who risked death and the law for a choice
I will vote
For every one of you who were victimized without justice
I will vote 
For every one of you who dared to dream one of your decedents could be president 
I will vote
For every one of you who endured so that I can be here in this moment 
I will vote 

-gws

America

America
What has happened to you?

I used to look at you and see a prismatic array of culture and color shining in the light of the American Dream
Facets of myself and those I love reflected in you

Something erupted from your shadows
Dark, scared and desperate
Eclipsing your torchlight of hope and promise

Something so terrified of Its obsoletion, It would rather see you burn than cede the power It stole to those It stole from

Something willing to sacrifice the kaleidoscope of colors and culture that alchemize in the magic of your melting pot on the alters of greed and privilege 

Something that wars against the Divine Feminine ascending into her full power

It claims white as its color with all the implications there of while stoking the red flames of righteous indignation and entitlement over those who are “other” beneath your blue-sky dream of a country of immigrants as equals
It so easily forgets that It was not native to your soil

America
All that you were made from
All that you were made for is under siege
Its fear of the dying of the light at the end of Its era has made It desperate and so destructively dangerous
I’ve heard that the ending of the time of Power Over is upon us 
Beware Its rageful final moments as It has no intention of going quietly

America
The huddled masses are here for you
Despite our trauma from Its constant abuse
Its gaslighting 
Its imposed cognitive dissonance
We are not ready to give up on you
We are tired
We are scared
But you are the land of the free
And we will be brave as we fight to save the grande and noble experiment that is you

-gws