Violent Dove

I would have been happily married, but for that bloody Sunday
I would have had a sister; a brother; a father, but for columbine
I would have led a thriving economy, but for Rwanda, many a day
We could have built a Great Wall, but for early June 1989

I would have fed nations, but for Tuskegee
I should have been buried at home, but for slavery
I could have birthed a Nelson, but for lynching
as to sleep with the fishes, while for life, clinching

I would have cured cancer, but for abortion
I should have been an Eliezer Wiesel, but the holocaust
we could have had a village, but for Srebrenica’s vile portion
Results of ideologies with grave human cost

I would have, should have, could have been…
but for a day I woke into what I couldn’t control
maybe, I could...
maybe, I could have stayed at home
changed my plans; something else

But I didn’t

And that gas, that bullet, that noose, that forceps, that tank
Forever changed my life, and the course of history
A gamble, a bargain with humans, that does break bank
And upon the deceased’s family, brings misery

I know it’s not the gun, it’s the people
the selfish, heartless, psycho people…
we may call them…these are people
who believed in the truth
their truth
unlike the “others’” truth

Truths that sometimes differ amongst
Israel and Palestine; Catholics and Protestants; amongst
US and Iran; Iraqis and Kurds; peace and war
Truths that cause nations to sit at needless war

We cant have “Born to kill” and the sign of peace
Stop the violence, lets for once enjoy…peace.

Words

Today, much love
tomorrow, no love

Today, I’m cunning
tomorrow, I’m humming

Before a crowd, it’s as drinking coke
before hot damsel, on it I choke

In the shower, as water runs on me
it runs through me
But when I sit, as is the paper…blank
so is my mind…blank

I run, I swim, I kick, I flip
I talk, I hush, I sit, I watch

I read, I muse, on better ways to use
I dig, I ponder, on better ways to wonder

Then when on the spot,
I ummm…, I ahhh…
I can’t find the way to fuse
but, while churning in dark night, then comes the juice
Ways I should have, could have, would have…but did not

All this pun and con, to off my hat to that
to which those with mastery, use
and those with frailty, abuse

All these pancakes of lines…
lines with words…
words to show the complexity of the word,
“Word”

July 16, 2009