Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Sing a More Hopeful Song
Emma Gonzalez, 17, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, calls bullshit on the status quo. This is how strong one voice can be.
voices silenced
under the barrage of bad news
when we can't begin
to find the words
to fix this suffering world
let us go out into the forest
breathe in some peace
return to sing songs of healing
like small sweet birds
place twigs between
my nest and yours
share nuts and seeds
we old ones grow weary
of fighting the same fight
let us listen to the young
saying "we call bullshit"
and "enough!"
march with them
add our voices to theirs
sing a more hopeful song
for Susan's prompt at Poet's United's Midweek Motif: Voice
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Maybe our children can do something we haven't been able to do. Beautiful work, Sherry.
ReplyDelete'let us go out into the forest
ReplyDeletebreathe in some peace' - yes please!
Sigh yes.. we badly need peace in the world.
ReplyDeleteYes! Let us join them. Thank you for lifting up this voice with all the power of your own voice.
ReplyDeleteThe world hears the voice of disgust and anguish at this sad event
ReplyDeleteThanks for your poem today Sherry
much love...
Very powerful. It is to our shame that the children have to raise their voices in anguish. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteYes, join with the young!
ReplyDeleteYes we should. Let us join the young and shout out loud.
ReplyDeleteA perfect write Sherry.
Anna :o]
march with them
ReplyDeleteadd our voices to theirs
sing a more hopeful song
The voice of the young can be as vocal and as to be reprimanding and not appealing as the weary and spent elders. It might work better
Hank
Yes, yes....Students can and do make history. Theirs is the fresh and living voice. A very timely poem, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteThe mass shooting in Australia that Emma mentioned did lead to a significant change in the gun laws here. Let's hope her impassioned speech is heard by many and that it is the first step to safer gun laws in the States.
ReplyDeleteCheers for the young people taking to the streets. The madness of these gun laws must stop NOW
ReplyDeleteChange has been needed since Columnbine! The day before the first school shooting my son was threatened, by a student in his class and told if he didn't bring a ball to school he would be stabbed at recess. He was 10 yrs old in 5th grade. This year he will turn 30. My son’s teacher dismissed the threat, because the child who made the threat was from a good family. We were new to the area and he didn’t know us. So, I said-isn’t it your job to tell me you watch my son, this other child-not imply my son is a liar. Yes, I want to recess and stayed thru the whole thing. The parent teacher conference was as you imagine-this teacher would not look me in the eye-I didn’t need to go to the meeting-my son had good grades, I went to remind the teacher no threat should ever be dismissed! Change should have happened 20 years ago. Let’s hope change is coming before any more lives are taken.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry for sharing this, for making us aware of Emma's speech and this poem!!
Oops, I meant Columbine~
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think my generation abdicated its responsibility and now the next generation of kids shoulder the burden. Luckily they are smart enough to bear it and make the world better.
ReplyDelete