Multi-Tasking

Wearing wireless headphones as I listen to the news. I'm outside watching children playing, taking in the views. There is screaming in my ears two voices disagree. A little girl serves her playmates imaginary tea. They're speaking on the pod, unarmed victims shot by police. Captives tortured in war. I hear our own. I hear their pleas! There's screaming in my ear a few voices disagree. Little girls sitting pretend to speak French saying Oui, Oui! There are typhoons hitting an island, reminds me of a tsunami. Also officials gathering parts of a plane shot down by an army. What  happened to the plane that went missing, no one remembers. Teenagers on the street play basketball great kids, great neighbors. The president uses his pen, makes some politicians angry. There is screaming in my ears so many voices disagree. The girls skip rope, laughter fills the air and singing too.  Pundits discuss, argue this and that it's what they do.  Night and day is closer then these scholars and their degrees. Theres screaming in my ear, voices, everyone disagrees. The guys still shooting hoops, living the life, always polite. Protests on the streets, the  police display their might. Some back peaceful protests others speak accusingly. There is screaming in my ears, crowds of voices disagree. I wave goodbye to the boys, we'll talk, I'll see them again soon. The children want me to skip rope I play along like a buffoon. They laugh that I can't skip properly. I leave them to their play. There's screaming in my ear, voices...might as well talk to clay My sleep will be hard, in the morning the sun will shine, children will wake. What kind of world will we leave, you smile and laugh but feel like a fake. Look how well we have done. When did we stop being one, being mild. What happened to being cohesive? It takes a village to raise a child. There is too much screaming in my ears, too many voices disagree. I can only pray, lend my voice to the calm, hope we can all agree. 11~12~2014 Maurice Yvonne Sponsor: Cyndi MacMillan Contest Name: I CAN'T BREATHE: A peaceful Protest, An Anthology of Powerful Poems