Walls of silence break through arm linked barriers
Repression batons crack ribs,
Deafening sound of young voices still echoing in my head
Rubber bullets leaving scars of Martin Luther King size proportions
On Iraqi war veterans, in their country, in this country
Like tiny footprints leaving reminders of those that have gone before us
In the name of defending human rights, don’t give up they say, keep walking
Female Berkeley college student hair pulled in daylight
By man in uniform and face mask wielding hate in every blow
To her solar plexus, knocking freedom out of lungs
Standing there screaming in desperation, not backing down
Go ahead, and hit me, I will take it like the woman
Before me who stood there in your shadow and felt the
blow to her face, over and over, limp on freshly mopped floors
I will take it for her and the freedom she never felt
I will take this blow from you, because you are a coward capable of nothing
And I will stand here and look in your face, keep going, I can take it
I will stand here for the children born into a corrupt nation
Where Armies of riot soldiers are sent out to protect greed
Sending Grenades flying into crowds annihilating first amendment rights
Dispersing hope into drops of blood stained tears
In this country, in your country
Just the other day
Tents erecting new societies
Where homeless are fed from love not pity
A Buddhist monk carried limp on the Brooklyn Bridge
In defiance that power should not come in uniform
Ceremonies and meditation replace the 40 hour work week
Spirit leaving its presence wherever we walk, and pray
All religions, no discrimination, this is all of us
There is no permission needed to exercise our rights as citizens
No one needs to give permission to speak
Our silence has been replaced with protest signs
fear no longer relevant
We the people have found our collective voice
And we use it, we use it for you
You there who won’t say anything
You there who won’t gather words or thoughts
You there who won’t look up and read, who won’t admit
Something is very wrong in this United States of America
Just look at yourself, corrupted spirit so afraid of truth
I will light a candle for you
I will let it burn until the fire is felt
until you see the truth in your own eyes
And I will ask you daily to please listen for one moment
To open your mind and see all around you might not be all you
Have thought it was for so long, and that it is ok to speak up.
