Passive

there once was a man
who said nothing
he neither signed with his 
hands nor spoke
with his voice
and all who passed him
were shocked at his complacency
it is easier this way,
he thought.

there once was a woman

who never expressed herself

she neither wrote nor

gave space for her opinion

and all who met her

were dismayed at her passivity

it is better this way,

she thought.

there once was a crowd

who saw murders

and cowards

and hatred go viral

and spread across the land

and they signed nothing

and they said nothing

and they did nothing

until they chose to understand

and seek restitution

and tear down the statues

and build up compassion

and look clearly at themselves

are you that person ?

are the same ?

will this all repeat ?

or will we change ?

there once was a time

when I could not sit

elbow to elbow

with you, at the counter.

there once was an 

accepted norm

that women could not 

and should not, vote.

and we look upon these

ideas as outlandish and

discriminating and unfounded.

we shake our heads in anger

and ask HOW

could we have allowed this

to happen ?

but what about NOW ?

tell me, what about Now.

there once was a person

who DID something

and they poured out 

the power from their pen

and they advocated for the truth

at every chance they had to

and they to make a difference

and then they did.

~

RN