An American lament
How sad are the halls and hallways that were violated
Attacked
Occupied
And then cleaned
So that some leaders could conveniently forget
What had happened
In hallowed halls
And chambers of decision
Leaders who were more than willing to have
Workers whom they see as subservient
Clean up the results of the chaos
That some of them had encouraged and championed
While others remained silent
For fear of losing their elected position
To one who might be more
Or less
Conservative
How sad are the minds that are closed to examples
And testimonies
of wrongdoing
That threatened the very foundations of a nation
Content to point fingers at others
Noting that protests are protests
No matter their reason
Woe to a nation that decries injustice perpetrated
Due to skin color
And declares that those who decried those tragic incidents
Based on actual events
were much worse and more serious
Than a mob that found its way into our legislative center
Not because of truth
But due to lies that had been spread by a leader
and his associates
Who cared more about their power
than the nation which they said should be “first.”
In fact, they tried to convince people that their leader
Was the embodiment of the nation
And that all who did his bidding
Would get all they ever wanted
In terms of status and freedom to speak their minds
And spread their hatred
And commit violence about which they had only dreamed before.
It is time to make a turn
To understand,
to hold accountable
liars, bullies,
and opponents of freedom
And deniers of facts and actual truth
And, after that, without persisting excuses
To present and propose policies
To enhance our national well-being
To agree to disagree
To compromise
To set aside suspicion and mistrust
And to remember
What has held us together before
That could hold us together once again
If we believe in
Justice
Mercy
And humility.
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