Harlem World Magazine 3/23/21
Where have all the statesmen gone who sought to stop war in my youth
Or made civil rights speeches that moved us in streets slick sound bites
are how the Senate speaks now of what it won't do for the hungry
and homeless who populate parks in spring's sunshine glory since
a miracle saw them through a blizzard beyond frigid winter cold but April
showers soak folks stuck in seas of mud a parliamentary rule ruled out fighting
for a mere fifteen dollar minimum wage that equates to thirty thousand yearly
before taxes with $174,000 salaries free flights cheap health care and a 25 buck
monthly on site gym with paddle ball and sauna for our masquerade Congress its
conscience in boxes blindfolds on eyes to save them from facing realities
when proliferating tents kindle quaint Hooverville tales before bursting
complacent thoughts that the greatest country in the history of
the world is coming back to counter Russians or Chinese
so many of our own who suffer seem invisible until they have had enough and force us
awake with their demand that we atone for selfish hypocrisy and
the apathy of ignorance by compassionate action to achieve so often cited ideals
Marie Antoinette thought starving peasants were happy to see her as she rode past in her
coach within her mistake is a lesson if anyone's listening
Real leaders learn from history