The Shoes of Another

What does one do, when they feel forgotten? What good are tears unseen or sobs unheard and when the tree of liberty seems to be rotten because they’ve been dismissed and rejected at a word? What does one do, when they’re silenced for viewing the world through their own eyes? What does one do when they’re trapped and tied down when they’re kicked and there’s no help around? What does one do, when frightened? When chains are thrown o’er them and tightened? When prayers are raised but seem unheard when one feels abandoned and alone in the world? What does one do, when self-evident truths get wiped away in anonymous booths, and the winners, gloat and show no mercy because the people have spoken and whatever one does, will bring controversy so tell me…what does one do? What does one do, when threatened? When dismayed or betrayed and their back to the blade and the liberty bell is cracked, and rings no more at least not for them, and not on these shores, because for some it’s better to be right, then to worry for others, or to fight in their fight. So I ask, what does one do when singled out for their religion, or color or body or mind when the rest of the world seems so suddenly blind? What does one do when their neighbors turn an apathetic eye to the border wall symbolically standing as a reminder to all that unalienable only applies to un-aliens? That life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are not rights at all, but prizes to earn. You should have chosen more thoughtfully where to be born if you wanted rights beyond struggle and scorn. What does one do, when freedom’s flame dims out; when lady liberty gets smothered in a pompous mist? What does one do to pretend it’s ok when the rhetoric prevailing on any given day is a torrent of doubt about their hard-earned place and could orphan their children, and threatens to chase them all “back whence they came.” Tell me, from your anonymous place, what would you do? Would you peacefully sit and hope for the best, and put your trust in your fellow man? Would you “come together as one” with those who voted that you don’t matter? Would you wave freedom’s banner aloft in the breeze, as your freedom was being seized? No seriously, what would you do? 11/11/16