AMERIKA
The place that cradled me is burning.
The red wash of light joins smoke in my eye,
trails of tears crawling my skin,
as the hopes I had hoped
die painfully,
slowly,
permanently.
Lost in the din
is my voice -
a small voice
crying with a throat rubbed raw.
Family members called Justice,
Loyalty, and Honor,
bubble like marshmallows amongst the coals.
What was, is no more.
What will be, can never be born.
Where once I was proud,
a shining light for the globe to follow,
I now slink through the purse
of the world
looking to steal what I can.
You know who I am
is not who I was.
What will become of me?
My neighbors will have to succor my children.
Charity used to be mine to give,
not take.
I am ashamed.
-----
Shared for Open Link Night with DVerse Poets!
-----
©2019 Christopher Reilley I would love to know what you thought about this piece.
Please consider leaving a comment.
©2019 Christopher Reilley I would love to know what you thought about this piece.
Please consider leaving a comment.
These are desperate times indeed, Chris. This is a really strong simile:
ReplyDelete‘Family members called Justice,
Loyalty, and Honor,
bubble like marshmallows amongst the coals’
and these lines describe a stark reality for many:
‘Where once I was proud,
a shining light for the globe to follow,
I now slink through the purse
of the world
looking to steal what I can.’
A stark take on current state of affairs.
ReplyDelete'Charity used to be mine to give,
not take.'
Succinctly put.
Poignant and timely!
ReplyDeleteI share your emotion, deeply felt and beautifully shared in this poem you gifted us. What's to be come of the world, of us?
ReplyDelete"Lost in the din
ReplyDeleteis my voice -
a small voice
crying with a throat rubbed raw."
I think many can relate.
What an imagery!
ReplyDeleteThis really got me:
"Family members called Justice, Loyalty, and Honor,
bubble like marshmallows amongst the coals."
This hits home. Really wondering what will become to all of us.
ReplyDeleteWe are living in a scary time.
ReplyDelete