Season’s Greetings

The night before

the gore,

they rehearsed

what was

in store 

or fantasized

their fetishized

distorted

tales 

of woe

that as far as

they know

mattered.

Battered by 

thoughts

and delusions,

the conclusions

of violence

would silence

the noises.

Their voices

screamed 

from the gun

one

message,

like Manson

said,

“…I’m 

already dead.”

Attacks 

on the innocent,

including the recent

ones in Syria,

Australia,

and at Brown

here in America,

may have different

motivations,

or justifications

but the ramifications

are the same.

Our grief

will be brief

before the next

act of audacity,

as our capacity

to respond

adequately

is diminished.

But the work

is unfinished,

and always

will be,

to see that

we can

live 

with dignity.

The Festival

of Lights

could be claimed

by many:

Diwali

and Christmas

and of course,

Hanukkah,

the one about

the menorah

lights 

for 8 nights

invites

us to 

illuminate

when the nights

are longest.

The strongest

need not

be a zealot

or one who

forgot

pain.

The main

point 

of the miracles

is light

when darkness

obscures

and lures

us with fright.

This prolonged

night 

when monsters

prey

upon the innocent

intent

on a violent

incident,

must not be met

with nothing.

Any thoughts

and prayers

are just layers

of abstinence—

absence

of light

that we might

enact

if our politics

weren’t so 

cynical.

In atypical

fashion,

compassion

and action

would be 

miraculous,

whether

or not 

you’re religious.

As they say

with cliche`,

“Take back

the night!”

“Be the light!”

It’s always

the season.

Capital Punishment

Mourners 

will gather

as funeral

arrangements

will be

made

for those

murdered

in their

classrooms.

The injured

endured

the unthinkable,

yet 

we shoulda

thunk it 

by now.

Why give

hunting

a pass?

Like it’s not

killling?

Instilling

what values?

Pro life?

We are 

our own

weapons

of mass

destruction

as long as

obstruction

of gun safety

laws

persists.

The silence

on violence

and intolerance

beyond

thoughts

and prayers

alone

or lone

wolves

who tell

us who

they are,

is far

from who

we need

to be.

Yes, 

it’s insanity.

If we only

gather

for our own,

and our own

is like 

a clique,

we stick

to 

the residue

of this

toxic

stew,

that is literally

killing us.

I know

you know 

this.

It’s one more

once more

we shouldn’t

ignore.

But we do.

Ok, they do,

but they are

still we

and it should be

clear

by now

that this 

is how

we could

die.

Spoiler Alert

You already know

What will happen.

It’s more 

Like a rerun 

Than a new

Show

Of thoughts

And prayers

After 

Each Episode.

Now every day

Is spoiled

By mass murders

En masse.

Families forever

Ruined.

Communities shattered.

And those 

Who relish

Spoiling

The possibility

Of success

Of an opponent

Will stand by

Horror,

And allow

Us

To be terrorized

By the tyranny

Of the crazed

With weapons

Of war

In anywhere,

USA

Any time

Because 

Freedom

To terrorize,

Maim,

And brutally

Murder

Innocent

Actual children

And their friends,

And teachers,

And preachers,

And relatives

Is freedom 

Of their

Sort.

Demand action

From every

Leader

And

Neighbor

And

Person

You know.

Spoiler alert:

For Mothers’ Day

I honored

My mother

With Contributions

To Moms Demand Action

For Gun Safety

And to the

Brigid Alliance.

Moms are being attacked,

And dare I say

Tortured 

Daily,

By fear

And actual assault

On bodily autonomy

Of themselves

And of their living

Kin.

My mother and father

Taught their children

To participate

And contribute

And improve 

Our communities.

I relish the gifts

My mother

Continues

To share with me

That inspire me

Each day.

You don’t need

Me to alert you

To those who

Would rather

Spoil our capacity

To live safely

Than limit

The possibility of 

One less

Shooting.

Demand better.

Do something.

Anything.

Don’t expect

Someone else

To contribute

Or sign

Or call

Or protest

So it’s done.

Sorry to spoil

It for you,

But your inaction

Is complicity.

Just like 

Thoughts

And

Prayers. 

At least 

For Mothers’ Day

Please do something

To contribute

To stopping

The current

Insanity

Killing us

Daily

While expressing

Condolences.

Nothing to See, Hear

Nothing to see,

Hear,

Just keep

Going.

We’ve got

This

Under 

Control.

Over controlled

Girls

And Women

Suffer alone

While we

Await

The next

Mass shooting.

Nothing to see,

Hear,

Or do,

When it’s legal.

Here 

The law

Is

Evil.

Personhood

Is claimed

For cells

And corporations

But 

A fetus

Is not exempt

To the IRS.

Nothing to see,

Hear,

But potential

Through ultrasound.

Yet potential

To massacre

With each

Purchase

Is abided

Because

It is

Legal.

We are

Not

Blind

Or Deaf

Just hostages

Of Prayers

And 

The 18th Century.

Not known

For nuance

Or complexity

But purity,

Our reality

Is 

Complicated

By myths

And systems

That feign

Deliberation

And calibration.

Yet absolutism

Is our DNA–
From Puritans

To Purell.

Unintended 

Consequences

Are nothing

To see here.