The difficulty I see is a world hardened and deaf

 to our brother’s cries, oblivious to our neighbor’s suffering 

 when we hurl insults and caterwaul, 

 there is only noise 

 behind a platform we hide and

 hurt one another

 

We can be better

 

The difficulty I see is effusive hatred spilling

from our souls, a polluted river coursing through our

cities, man mired in ignorance and denial, beating down their brothers

oppression is not vanquished but is reality for those

the world sees as “other”. The dominant unbelievers of our

commonalities and connections. Those that feed on rampant “isms” prevail.

But we are the same. We are the same. 

Blood bleeds carmine in us all.

 

We can be better

 

In the world of tomorrow, 

“isms” must die, the white boy with the confederate flag must look 

the black boy in the eye and see his brother 

The minister in the pulpit must recognize his love for his wife is no purer

than the love between those two women holding hands on the street

We owe it to the world to listen, to be better

We can be better