The Wailing Masses
Their shouts and chants fall just as silently
on the apathetic conscience of many
as their tears upon the ground.
Silent as the venturing blood
from opens wounds that will
memorialize a young man’s final scene
in the pavement upon which his lifeless flesh rests.
The others don’t care your for your pain.
They never have.
The others aren’t worried with your plight.
They never were.
Marches have been rendered
impotent in these times.
Only seen as a wall to shield rioters
and looters who look just like you;
a cue for police militarization.
“Shoot them with rubber bullets!”
“who?”
“All of them! The trouble makers, the rabble rousers,
whether their hands hold loot, cardboard signs,
or even their children!
Clear them out
and drive them back to the ghettos.
To the shadows between their shotgun homes.
To the space just outside the reach of the street lights
To the silence befitting of a people such as them.”
And so gas canisters fly through the air
like poisoned doves
and the peaceful protesters are lost
and intermingled with
the looters
and rioters
all oscillating through desires
of fight or flight.
Tahrir Square is happening here
and there is blood on everyone’s hands.
Blood on the cop who pulled the trigger,
blood on the boy who ran,
blood on the media that only reports the looting,
blood on the looters,
blood on the protesters,
not even the riot gear and shield
can keep the blood off of the police.
Blood on computer keys
that punch in status updates from the internet activists.
Blood on my keys as I type this.
What are we going to do
once this story blows over as well?
What will we do when the media
and our own attention toss the last bit
of dirt atop this story?
I can tell you.
Not a damn thing.
Mobilization and activism are the tools of those on the outside without direct influence and say within a system. They are grassroots efforts that, while necessary, call into action the actual decision makers. If we move from the streets to the decision table, from the corners to the board room, then we can impact the very laws that enable these unjust occurrences and the conditions that allow to them manifest. Until then, until we push our best into public service to lobby and advocate and legislate we will be left attempting to drum up the spirit of the 60’s again and again.