Sunglassesturning autumnto technicolordon’t provide shadeagainst atrocityStaring directlyat the sunonly burnsthe memory of violenceon my retinasNo amountof hippie peace musicdrowns outthe wails of warFleece can’t warmthis NovemberMy childrenare listeningThere’s no avoidingthis
#18 of 30 Poems in November to benefit Center for New Americans.
No matter how peace-loving a person may be, there is no escaping atrocity in this decade. And how does one explain it to the children?
ReplyDeleteInteresting conversations over here for sure.
DeleteAbsolutely... Children are going to have big questions...everywhere.
ReplyDeleteNice write, Marian. Too bad the perpetrators won't appreciate it, or Hippie music. The children must be mortified in their dreams, wondering if their heads might be next.
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I have children who have lots of questions about the world we live in and some days its just so hard to answer them.
ReplyDeleteWhen our children are listening it is up to us to teach and explain the truths that are real, not always the so called truths that are told.
ReplyDeleteThese times are darker than I can ever remember... and it's so very very close now.
ReplyDeleteOh my God, that's what makes it even worse. The children are listening. They must wonder what the hell? I especially like "No amount of hippie peace music drowns out the wails of war". Brilliant synopsis of our current reality, Marian.
ReplyDeleteMy children
ReplyDeleteare listening
They were listening before and they took great pains to be exemplary. Now, they might not even listen and if forced,might take issue with parents. They ask questions and demand immediate answers and smirk when parents appeared cornered. Incisive write Marian!
Hank
I remember my 8-year-old (as he was at that time) seeing horrific TV reports of the Vietnam War before I could censor them. 'It can't be true!' he said indignantly, 'The Australians would never do that!' It was a very bad moment to have to explain that we not only might but probably did.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a scary time we live in. I try to cast out the net of peace. Who am I if I don't try? There are certainly no rose colored glasses for this November.
ReplyDeleteThose shades were never better than providing the illusion of distance. Raw events burn all the way through 'em.
ReplyDeleteExplaining to children the monstrosity adults are capable of is the most difficult thing in the world. A relevant topic and well written.
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