(at Coffeehouse del Barrio)

In voices, gentle and raging,

they tell us
of hurt-driven fury at uniformed men
who kill us without consequence,
shoot us with impunity,
and the quiet complicity of uniformed buddies
conforming to their code of silence,

they tell us
of warriors returned
who denounce the lie that they killed for our freedom,
who declare the Truth of never again ever,

they tell us
of coordinated, systemic attacks
on workers to deny us the wages
lest our families might live with dignity,

they tell us
of bought and sold politicians
who cook up laws to keep us from voting,
having a say in who gets what,

they tell us
of echoes from our Goddess heritage,
long before La Virgin and the mother of Jesus,
when the Great Mother invited us
to hunt and gather from her
living things to feed our children’s bellies,

they tell us
how Truth is like the sun,
soaking our skins,
striking our eyes so we see the lies,

how Truth, like the sun, must fall on all,
lighting our way, warming our souls.

Tom Keene
June 9, 2016