Right
Injustice is a pig pile
bearing down on our backs
a suffocating weight
that tests the limits
of what we can take
Our collective knees are bruised
from the wear of prayer and protest
Sometimes we are called to stand
to shake off the onslaught
of insult to injury
to drown out false power
with the voices of outrage
Sometimes we are called
to put down the unbearable
to carry an innocent
and claim their right
to breathe
___________Colleen Redman / Poets and Storytellers United
June 7th, 2020 1:34 am
A wonderful poem, Colleen. I felt it physically – from the weight of the injustice described in the first verse, through the bruising of the long outward and inward struggles, to the standing up, shaking off, and then the love and truth of the final lines.
June 7th, 2020 2:24 am
Powerful piece Colleen! The world is pouring out its outrage. But, for how long will they sustain before they move on. A few months back, a girl was raped and burnt in India and there was a huge uproar. But,people have moved on to the next big news. The question on my mind is how do we sustain the change and the work even when the news dies down.
June 7th, 2020 3:14 am
A very timely piece. We are right back to a tumultuous time in history…in many way reminiscent of the sixties. These young people who are fighting for justice seem to have staying power, which is a good sign.
June 7th, 2020 3:16 am
Our collective knees are bruised
from the wear of prayer and protest – beautiful poem that rightly amplified voices that need to be heard.
June 7th, 2020 3:33 am
Like Rosemary, I felt this poem physically. Collective bruised knees and a crescendo of voices.
June 7th, 2020 3:42 am
I do hope we have witnessed on our TV screens the start of an effective resolution to eradicate the racial hatred that occurs in so many countries all over the world. It is not before time.
June 7th, 2020 8:52 am
Your poem leaves me breathless, as it was meant to do. May justice for all prevail. Amen.
June 7th, 2020 11:22 am
I felt this deeply, Colleen! Such palpable emotion in “Our collective knees are bruised from the wear of prayer and protest.” Yes!
June 7th, 2020 11:26 am
Right on (Again / Still!) Sister!
June 7th, 2020 11:31 am
Hoping that outrage turns out to be louder than lies, absolutely.
June 7th, 2020 12:29 pm
So true. And if we don’t answer the call of justice, if we don’t stand and do, we might be the next ones to choke.
June 7th, 2020 3:05 pm
There are so many hurting right now, but the only way we can move forward with all our collective pains is to take turns uplifting each other when we can and grabbing rest when we need to. At one demonstration I attended, one of the speakers referred to the work for justice as not a sprint, nor even a marathon, but a relay. We build or teams and trust one to keep running when the other must rest.
June 7th, 2020 4:33 pm
Powerful and right on!
June 7th, 2020 5:40 pm
Isn’t that the truth! Such a felt poem Colleen–
June 7th, 2020 8:00 pm
You speak for the many of us horrified that a human being could invoke such violence on another. Just see the heartache and destruction his senseless act has caused. We grow weary with the ugliness of it all.
June 8th, 2020 12:10 pm
very nice insights. i felt this poem! good one!
June 8th, 2020 2:06 pm
Our collective knees are bruised indeed. This is an inspiring poem that speaks to my heart and I am sure to many others.
June 9th, 2020 12:08 am
I recall a song from years ago that I have to find again along the lines of “there is a time to be on your knees, and a time to stand.”
Your words reminded me of this and now I have to find the proper lyrics.
Thank you
June 11th, 2020 10:08 pm
Amen, Sister!