Thank You For The Coffee (poetry)

Thank you for buying my coffee this morning,

it was my first cup in three days.

It was so hot the steam made a fog while I sipped

warming my fingers and nose,

leaving it's aroma 

and making my tongue smile mmm…

it was so good,

thank you.

© David H. Roche

Merry Christmas From Uncle Sam and Aunt Kirstjen (political poetry)

The poem below came to me while watching the report (at the highlighted link) by Democracy Now  of the latest anti-human atrocities committed by the Trump Administration at the southern border. It's difficult to imagine understanding this is the right way to treat people who need help. But it is the way the United States has decided to treat these people. As I think about the lack of response from the American People it almost seems as if a spell has been cast keeping them from demanding an end to this anti-human behavior in their name.   We the American People are better than this, at least I think so...I hope so.
This institutionalized inhumanity denies any claim to Christianity.  I've written a number of poems on the topic.
Here's a couple of them "The Oasis Is Off Limits" and "The Death Of Love".  
Enjoy the poem I wrote this morning. Pass it on if you so desire.

Merry Christmas From Uncle Sam and Aunt Kirstjen

The lines of so many people, a ragamuffin bunch,

rags are all they have to their name except their faces,

fearful eyes, empty stomachs, weary legs and their hope that tomorrow they will have food to eat

and a place to sleep…

lines of fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, nieces,

children in arms and hand in hand

are put to sleep in cages

and others are laid to rest in the earth. 

Meanwhile in Washington Kirstjen Nielsen,

under oath, has no idea

how many in the lines have died

while she was watching over them.

Her job is to keep us safe from ragamuffin ruffians 

and it's distressing

that the people just don't understand

that there's a wall yet to make
before America is great.

© David H. Roche 2018

(note last line of poem added)

Dissent

As citizens of some nations in Europe are demonstrating effectively in the streets to rectify the social ills forced on them by their elected officials Americans are beginning to take notice.

The summer of 1968 in the U.S. is a reminder that Americans also have a history of social protest and street demonstrations. Some wish to see the same kind of activity in American streets again.

I'm not sure it is a good idea. The American Establishment has vast resources of tools to distribute violence against protesters and some are just itching to use them.  Violence intimidation and force are go to tools for almost any situation the Establishment feels itself threatened in. 

While Americans are surely feeling the fist of the economic oppressor at the hands of the Establishment, allowing themselves to become red paint on the street isn't going to solve the problems the people have. In fact it may make those in charge even more brazen, if indeed that is possible.

I was thinking something should be done that will have an immediate, attention getting effect. How about a targeted, nationwide, as long as it takes mass boycotting of selected corporations and or products?

Boycotts have a history of working. Demonstrations even for good things have a history of demonstrators having their blood spilled at the hands of the Establishment.

A targeted mass boycott if enough people, say 30 million people, would participate could be effective if the boycott only amounted to those 30 million reducing their consumption by half. That would have an impact on the producer of the product and it would be a sure fire non-violent attention grabber that gives the demonstrator a good vantage point to get their ideas across. It's the kind of protest that has the possibility of attracting people who might not take it to the streets.

Imagine the impact if sales dropped by 30 percent or more! It could be done if enough people made a game of it and participated every time they went to the store and decided NOT to buy something that is usually purchased if it's on the target list.

How would this work?  Imagine the impact on a company accustomed to selling 100,000,000,000 of something that is the target of a mass targeted  boycott and that boycott effectively reduces the sales by 30%.  That's gonna hurt.  I bet when the people see the effects of their non-violent protest they can have fun and make a game of the process.

The purpose of this is to notify the Establishment that you are awake and are not taking it anymore. The way to show it is by not buying, or drastically reducing purchases of the crap they sell. That is really all these corporate people understand.

Protesting in the streets is as American as the first Tea Party, and it's just as dangerous today as it was then.  That's why I think targeted selected mass boycotts are an important way and safe effective way to protest civil injustices. It might become another way of voting.

Note To All The Spirits In Prison (poetry)

Note To All The Spirits In Prison

Be here

don't fear…

do right

without fright…

day comes

after night.

John 9:4 King James Version (KJV)

4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Today: (poetry)

It was raining at daybreak and rained until bedtime.

It was a rain of many moods;

but it was one rain

that fell straight down

beating the ground like a manic drummer

sometimes capriciously careening sideways

and turning to hail… before

pausing and drumming again

until the sky briefly emptied

leaving a double rainbow.

I dashed out to spread sunflower seed on the ground

and rushed back inside

before the drumming resumed

and the doves arrived…

I knew they were coming,

they come rain and shine.   

©

David H. Roche

2018