human rights

was but a child of eight

walking on a street so foreign
in a country so strange
felt all alone

a stranger strikes me in my stomach

expels all breath inside me
he runs away and yells…
‘go back home where you belong’

incessant tears cascade my face,

running running not stopping until at my front door
mamasita comes up to me…’que paso mijo’?
i asked..’what’s wrong with me, mama’?

she sits me down with her hand

tears are wiped from my face
gives me a tortilla with butter, sugar
sprinkles, looks at me and says
‘nene, te falta nada, eres un angel’
(nothing is wrong with you, my angel)

hate, I’ve learned, arises for different reasons;

because of differences, because of fears,
insecurities gathered through the years
are groomed by ignorance, stupidity is the
attire of choice.

to this day my stomach aches not from

a strangers hand but from the strain
of hatred running through people’s veins
that cause human rights violations on the
disenfranchised via prejudice, bigotry , racism
with insidiousness for oligarchic gains

 

[ for Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Human Rights

 

 

evolving world

there’s coolness in quiet
a warmth in silence
feeling the presence
of life’s essence

as violins play

and song birds sing
running rivers dream
of an oceans roar

the blooms of Spring

then a sSmmer breaze
array of colors in the Fall
a freeze in Winter’s tease

through it all we've come

the pains and sorrows
but also tears of joy
to welcome our tomorrows

let there be light

our creator said
rest your head
upon my bed

so when the star

shines bright at night
reminds us that
after dark there’s light

 *James Write leaves us with a darkness in these two poems. thought i'd give a little light after the dark