Respiration 2020

Cover your face. Wash your hands. Cover your voice. Take care where you stand. The world isn’t safe. Boy, stay in your place. Can’t take a knee - unless it’s on me. Too weary to cope No peace; no hope So much despair Don’t trust the air I CAN’T BREATHE! More lying, more crying and too much dying More shooting, more looting and own horn tooting, Leaders just lurking or under-mask smirking. We aren’t working. I, CAN’T BREATHE? How will They learn if you just came here to burn? Stop all the violence, and be done with the silence It’s all gone berserk but, MY lungs still work. I CAN BREATHE. So, I’ll breathe loudly; I’ll breathe proudly. Breathing for JUSTICE, not Just Us. I’ll breathe knowing who must - US. I’ll breathe with a chorus that can’t be silenced, young and old; timid and bold; dark and light; all breathing what’s right. Breathing firey tongues of history untold; Breathing through tears for the ones we can’t hold; Breathing righteous love and true understanding until with my last breath when I am no longer standing I’ll breathe release while the chorus breathes Hope and Peace - - D Viera (June 2020)