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What comes next?
One would hope societal change,
a rising of heart and hope
in humankind,
unless she watches the news,
and loses what little promise
she can find.
What comes next?
A knee lifted off the necks
of the people,
a corporate stranglehold
loosened from the throat
of Mother Earth,
an election that deposes
a mad tyrant and brings us
some ability to build a world
where each being has worth?
What comes next is the long hot summer,
when wildfires roar through forests
and wild animals flee.
What comes next depends most
on the choices and actions
of you and me.
for Brendan at earthweal: What Comes Next?
My heart is having a hard time with all that is happening. Standing in solidarity with all folks striving for a world of social justice, unity and peace. I have never felt more disheartened.
I understand your pain, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteWhat comes next, scares me.
ReplyDeletestay safe my friend
Me, too.
ReplyDeleteWe can only add our voices to those for change. It's hard to stay optimistic, but we must not give up.
ReplyDeleteI agree, these are terrible times and it is hard to feel anything but deep sorrow and anguish at what is happening.
ReplyDeleteThe repetition of ‘What comes next?’ is a protest chant throughout your poem, Sherry. I too am scared of what comes next. We were all so hopeful of kindness, peace, understanding and unity after the devastation of the Covid pandemic, but the developments in America are terrifying. These are such powerful lines:
ReplyDelete‘A knee lifted off the necks
of the people,
a corporate stranglehold
loosened from the throat
of Mother Earth’.
We must all pray for the mad tyrant to be deposed.
What we find -- and I suspect are most dismayed by -- is that it is easier to fly to another planet than change the color of one's belief. So it's going to be a disheartening and problematic slog. But what else are we gonna do. You hand out such deep draughts of good water to the marchers ... Brendan
ReplyDeleteI keep forgetting there's a lot of summer to get through yet. There has been so much fear and anger and frustration already, and so much heat.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you use the prompt as a question and as a response. The last stanza is deafening.
I hear you. so difficult to know what the next right step is or what comes next but yes...
ReplyDeleteA knee lifted off the necks
of the people,
a corporate stranglehold
loosened from the throat
of Mother Earth,
this is what is so needed.
I like the way you keep repeating What comes next Sherry. I think we are all pondering that. Brilliant.
ReplyDelete