HOW DO YOU CRY

Thomas J. Dooley

In the light of day, there should be no shadows, no doubts

Is that what respect for life is all about

 

How do you cry when there is no time for life?

How do you cry when hate is all you can find?

How do you forgive every time?

 

With marching feet, the calls for justice and peace

These sounds still echo from the streets

Will the next tear to be shed will be for you or for me?

 

How do you cry when life is just a short time?

How do you cry when a lie is revealed as hate?

How do you forgive next time?

 

Serve and protect until the next death

Mistakes and excuses do not make you innocent

Justice and peace are political vinegar and oil

 

How do you cry when this happens every time?

How do you cry when the tears run dry?

How do you forgive this time?

 

Tears spilled on the streets of Minneapolis.

No one should die for a light to be put on racial justice

Living and dying has no longer has any purpose

 

How do you cry when you have no tears?

How do you cry when you walk with fear?

How do you cry right NOW?

 

©Copyright Thomas J. Dooley 2021

  • Author: Thomas J. Dooley (Offline Offline)
  • Published: April 13th, 2021 22:23
  • Category: Sociopolitical
  • Views: 15
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Comments1

  • L. B. Mek

    'Serve and protect until the next death
    Mistakes and excuses do not make you innocent
    Justice and peace are political vinegar and oil'..
    these lines articulate what many are feeling, confused and betrayed - yet again...
    but we all have to be careful, media is playing this game where we only hear about individual cases that help further their narrative of divisive hate,
    last week a black woman shot and tried to run over a police officer who found her in possession of illegal drugs, I know
    you probably didn't know about it, because the media didn't report it as widely since it doesn't help their narrative..
    trust me, I understand your sentiments completely
    but the alternative to police is curfews and soldiers on our streets, I am not sure what the media's game is exactly, mere sensational reporting or something much - much, more sinister and despicable?
    but, I know if things continue down this road, there will be less and less police on our roads and then what happens when crime rates escalate exponentially?
    I am lost as well, but if we don't look at this cases of injustice and murderous negligence
    case - by - individual case, we risk creating an emotionally heightened environment for those (majority) good police officers to carry out their work, thereby needlessly increasing the potential for such situations to repeat themselves..
    and there's no point listening to those 'so called' front line activists, who brazenly demonstrate they're just using this polarising situations: as profit funnels, for their money grabbing deplorable antics!
    indeed, this are crazy time's, truly!

    • Thomas J. Dooley

      It seems to me that our political system throws iodine and a bandage on any problem. But don't look at the root cause.
      I feel fortunate enough to live in a diverse community, not to say we don't have our own problems, we do. Just like with your example, that is one in a few, but racial injustice is happening every day, not to the extent that we see in the media, but it is there.
      I always wonder why airline pilots land a plane safely every day, and yes, every so often, we hear of a crash or breakdown. If policing was an airline, they would be closed down long ago because they let anyone fly.

      The way I look at poetry and wringing is much like any art. It captures a moment in time to entertain the senses and when I look at a piece of art I will see something different from the next person and even from you. I have my own opinion and experience from that art but I am not going to put what I feel back on the artist who created the piece.

      • L. B. Mek

        'but I am not going to put what I feel back on the artist who created the piece'..
        my apologies dear poet, I meant no disrespect - by nature I'm clumsy and often overzealous, so tend to fall into that trap of engaging with others and interpreting their words - a little too directly,
        my comment was a general feedback and not directed at you specifically (apart from my quotation of your insightful lines), I just egotistically used your timely write as a platform to jump into my opinionated tirade, sorry if you felt I disrespected your artistry by doing so, it was never my intention

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