Tis for Thee
You don’t stand a chance against my prayers
You don’t stand a chance against my love
They outlawed the Ghost Dance
But we shall live again… Robbie Robertson
The bombs are silent
They land inside my body
They burn down my trust
in what makes sense
drop destruction on my faith
in humanity
I look for a place to hide
and worry about the people I love
One friend bought can goods
Another thought of suicide
My hands shake
when I call in sick
when I pray for a savior
and wonder how I’d live
in an underground bomb shelter
How will I rise to the moment?
Will I put down the flag
and pledge a new allegiance?
Will the smoke clear?
What song will I sing
to show my resistance
to tyrannical aggression?
What salve can I spread
to comfort those
left in its wake?
________Colleen Redman / dVerse Poets Pub /Poets and Storytellers United
November 7th, 2024 4:04 pm
We need to meet the people, we need to continue to talk. No matter what he will not be able to totally undermine what is there…. but these days are sickening.
November 7th, 2024 5:10 pm
It is very scary, and I’m worried.
“One friend bought can goods
Another thought of suicide”
November 7th, 2024 5:56 pm
What??? Discord???? Everything’s cool. Just close your eyes and count slowly ’til you run out of numbers…
November 7th, 2024 6:07 pm
Impactfully and artfully said, Colleen. Trump is a master of violations so chaos is sure ensue! I’m still reeling about his win. Now they’re dissecting what the dems did wrong but most who voted for him know exactly how unfit he is. Disappointing.
November 7th, 2024 6:25 pm
Colleen, Trump is already rolling back on some things he threatened during his campaign. My worry is about some of the people around him, Elon Musk, Evangelicals who would have Americans living in Gilead, and I can not see how the Democrats can do better next time. The electoral system will have been further gerrymandered and do Democrats know how to appeal to the base that elected Trump – can they produce someone charismatic enough to appeal to the emotions as they need to – can they counter the flood of disinformation on Twitter and it’s ilk…
Beautifully articulated indeed, Colleen…
November 7th, 2024 7:51 pm
I’m so sorry what has happened in the election, it is scary for us all. I know the feeling, I felt the same way after our referendum. To see the underbelly of your nation is so confronting, it’s guts you and is so upsetting. Take care.
November 8th, 2024 1:13 am
Well put. I hope the smoke clears and we can see our way through.
I hope Ron sees my comment on his comment!
“Everything’s cool. Just close your eyes and count slowly ’til you run out of numbers…”
What a poem that is!
November 8th, 2024 2:14 am
I’m sad for you and the many others who are so deeply concerned. It is of great concern to the rest of the world too. Tbh, it appears to me, admittedly from a distance, that the Democrats and Republicans are equally warmongering – but I can well understand your horror at the likely domestic policies in the near future.
November 8th, 2024 4:43 am
What is fair and good has gone up in smoke. At least in the near term. It’s unfathoamable that we would once again elect that vile, flawed excuse of a human being.
November 8th, 2024 4:50 am
Watching from this distance, it seemed the liikely outcome. Can understand blue voters are troubled, but meanwhile real bombs have been dropped on children for over a year now…I pray that now it can be stopped before January. ( 🙁
November 8th, 2024 5:16 am
All fair questions. It is a very worrying time. So glad i don’t live in the US.
November 8th, 2024 8:52 am
Rajani, The bombs were the point. How they ripple out in different ways. It’s a metaphor. America has escaped a lot of the devastation but we are not immune and now it is on our doorstep. The world is in dire shape and having a lawless authoritarian at the head of our country is like a silent bomb going off for me. This is a poem and an expression of my first sense of loss and doom about that. All I can say is that not living in this country, you might not understand how bad the Trump movement is and how it feels to be losing our freedoms and democracy with a treasonous lawless bully who spreads propaganda and thinks climate change is a hoax in charge. Remember January 6. Think fascism.
November 8th, 2024 8:57 am
Rosemary, Our foreign policy under Trump is as worrisome as our domestic issues. Today, one party is for democracy and the other a cult of personality propped up by misinformation and propaganda.
November 8th, 2024 1:52 pm
Meaningful poetry can lead to political discussion and imo that is a very good thing. 🙂
November 8th, 2024 8:33 pm
The poem reveals a desperate longing for refuge, safety, and unity. It’s a plea to rise above the chaos and resonates deeply, inviting reflection on our collective capacity for love, compassion, and resilience.
November 8th, 2024 11:16 pm
There is only the illusion of democracy in the USA. Empty promises, rampant corruption, corporate lobbying. And ultimately it has led to this result.
As an outsider, I hope that Trump is able to keep his promise of no more wars and to remove troops from bases around the world; to focus more on US domestic issues.
November 8th, 2024 11:17 pm
PS – I enjoyed your poem too, capturing the general feeling of despair very well. 👍
November 9th, 2024 6:42 am
You certainly captured despair.
November 11th, 2024 8:40 am
Scary times! I feel your despair.