Inspired by tensionliterary’s prompt on Instagram: Tell No One Tell no one that a genocide is being committed In the name of a god, a people, an ethnostate Tell no … Continue reading Tell No One
Tag: poetry
2023: The Year of Grief
I lost my best friend in February. I found out she was sick in January and was told she would survive for a few more years if I put her on a special diet. No cause for alarm. Everything would be fine.
Not even a month later she died in my arms.
I could save her – potentially – if I had 4000 dollars and a car to drive 3 hours away to a vet who would keep her for ten days. Maybe that will work.
Just maybe she’ll live.
It’s her best shot.
The only thing echoing in my head: “I don’t want her to die alone.”
(more…)Grief
I was born with a dark twin
Similarly unwanted, but relied on.
They were a small, black mutt
With wiry black fur, oversized ears,
And large dark eyes.
Born together and bonded together.
This being became my trusted companion
Shield me, drove me, broke me
I ignored it
I hated it
I dismissed it.
But it was always there
Patiently following me wherever I went.
Growing in size and power
Until I could no longer ignore it.
Until I heard its loud breathing
And disgruntled growls and roars.
Until I heard the heavy thuds
Of its paws
as it trailed behind me.
Until I felt its wiry fur as it slept beside me.
As I saw its dark form
At the foot of my bed,
In the corner of my office,
Sleeping at my feet while I wrote,
Cuddling next to me on the couch,
Eating my scraps as I cooked.
Patient, protective, heartbroken.
I sit cross legged on my bed
The beast sitting on all fours in front of me.
Our eyes locked
Our breathes uneven,
And I tentatively reach out
And stroke its dark fur
And it rests its big cheeks
In the palm of my hand
And I cry as the beast unfurls
And lies down, resting its head in my lap
And I stroke its fur.
Scream
Can’t you see the world is dying
Can’t you see?
Don’t you care?
The whole world is on fire
People are dying
Millions of people are dying all over the world
Every day
And no one cares
No one cares
We drown out the screams with white noise
We’ve grown used to the stench of blood and rotting flesh
We no longer see the trails of blood
We do not notice our hands stained with blood
Our clothes stained with blood
We do not notice we feast on the bloated remains of the starved
We do not notice that the mortar that holds up our homes and institutions.
Is made from the bones of those we left to die in the streets
Of those we killed in camps,
in prisons,
in plantations,
In sweatshops,
In warehouses,
In alleys
Through maliciousness
Through enjoyment
Through neglect
All I want to do is scream
Scream through the madness of it all
Scream and scream
Until my throat is bloody and raw
Until the world stops and listens
Until this terrifying loss of faith
And hope for the future
Consumes me
And I no longer know fear
Or self-preservation
Only the fiery rage that will burn this all down
Let this world end
Let us burn it to the ground
And trust others to rebuild
A stronger, loving world
But first we must burn these decrepit things
Blow away the bleached white rib cages of ancient monstrosities
That refuse to let go of their wealth
And their power
Let us flip the continent over, into the sea
Wash away all this horror
And when it returns to the surface
May the sun shine
On a new land
A new people
A new future
Where death isn’t compartmentalized
Where responsibilities to each other are not abnegated
Where we no longer need to
Feast on rot and decay
Where our footsteps do not leave a trial of blood
And our bones are not carved
With the name of all we’ve killed
Let it end
Let it all end
So others may live
Cosmic Phoenix
Long has the cosmic phoenix held sway over me
The bringer of hope and destroyer of worlds.
A being of pure energy; capable of great cruelty and beauty.
Agender, transgender nonbinary, all used to describe me
And I find myself a spectrum bound in human form.
Long has the cosmic phoenix held sway over me
For some people consider aro-aces to be fantasy;
Hungering only for trusted company and cosmic wonders.
A being of pure energy; capable of great cruelty and beauty.
This mortal coil, a weapon used against me.
Always the mirror distorting my reflection.
Long has the cosmic phoenix held sway over me.
It’s not that I don’t have an identity.
It’s that you cannot understand me,
A being of pure energy; capable of great cruelty and beauty.
Don’t try to cage me
With your preconceived notions of who I should be.
Long has the cosmic phoenix held sway over me.
A being of pure energy; capable of great cruelty and beauty.
Who Killed Efrain Romero De La Rosa
I’m not currently going through my writing folders and publish crap I wrote ages ago. Nope, not me.
Who Killed Efrain Romero De La Rosa
Who killed Efrain Romero De La Rosa, a man of 40, who struggled with schizophrenia?
Not us, says the American voters
We’re just waiting for this to blow over
Yeah, we voted for Trump, what of it?
We don’t want nobody dying
And, yeah, solitary confinement sounds horrifying
But it’s him or us, you see
That’s what they say on TV
Who killed Carlos Hernandez Vasquez, a boy of sixteen who was found unresponsive?
Not us, says Border Patrol
We had everything under control.
He was cared for.
Don’t ask me why no one was sent for
Don’t ask why he had to die
There are so many in here
One or two are bound to disappear
Who killed Roxsana Hernandez Rodriguez, her only crime being transgender and HIV positive?
Not us, says ICE
Our inmates’ health is our number one priority
But we must maintain the utmost authority
Roxsana was already trouble
And the lads wanted a chuckle
So we put her in the cooler
Then the lads grew crueler
Who killed Johana Medina Leon, a transgender woman on the cusp of achieving asylum?
Not I, says Corey A. Price
You all are always looking for a reason to blame ICE
It wasn’t our fault, honest!
It was her own diseased body that gave up on her
Besides she’s the ones we need to deter
Those who bring in diseases to our fair land
I’m sure Trump has a grand plan
Who killed Osmar Epifanio Gonzalez-Gadba, a man lost in segregation and withdrawal?
Not I, says Mitch McConnell,
The rest of the party nodding along
Glad his suffering wasn’t prolonged
Had to be segregated, so I was told
Proud the ICE officers exhibited self-control
Man who sees things is unnerving
And I think your criticism is undeserving
Who killed Jeancarlo Jimenez-Joseph, who struggled with psychosis?
Not I says Bill Barr
Picking the remains of the DOJ out of his teeth
I imagine not all was well underneath
In his mind, you know how they are
Best thing to do is keep them afar
Don’t misunderstand me, wouldn’t want them to perish
But it’s a thought that many Americans cherish.
Who killed Felipe Gomez Alonso, a boy of eight whose infection was allowed to grow?
Not I, says Kirstjen Nielsen
And it wasn’t because he wasn’t European
It’s not our fault he got an infection
While lying in cages that are not cages, in a dirty section
And the same goes for Juan de Leon Gutierrez and Jakelin Caal Maquin
They bring the disease with them as they sneak in.
Our facilities are clean and Trump’s policies are a win
Who killed Darlyn Cristabel Cordova-Valle, a girl of ten with spirit strong, but heart so frail
It was I says Stephen Miller
With pride
I was glad to watch her suffer and die
As she begged to see her mother
And thrown in where she belongs, with the others.
It is part of my plan
To cleanse this land
Who killed Wilmer Josue Ramirez Vasquez, a boy of 2 and a half months?
Not I says Mike Pence
And frankly I believe the media is being a bit dense
I’ve been to the facilities
They’ve been provided with all necessary utilities
No one enjoys when babies die
But the responsibility is not yours or mine
After all, God blessed us, not them.
Who killed Mariee Juarez, a 20 months old baby?
I did, says Donald Trump
And I did it better than anyone
Now I won’t say it was fun, but I’m glad it’s done
And I’ll kill more, you’ll see, the numbers will be huge
I’ll single-handedly stop the deluge
I’m the only one who can do it
See, I’m the chosen one, I simply can’t quit!
Pepper Writes 