Best Protestors Poems
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
Plato
Politicians keep lying
Hate keeps breeding
Jets keep firing
Babies keep dying
Mothers keep crying
Homes keep tumbling
Hope keeps crumbling
Time keeps ticking
Injustice keeps screaming
Funerals keep delaying
Peacemakers keep meeting
Media keeps shocking
Propaganda keeps faking
Tanks keep bombing
Earth keeps shaking
Fear keeps spreading
Soldiers keep fighting
Widows keep weeping
Sorrows keep growing
Babies keep dying
Mothers keep crying
Tears keep flowing
Hunger keeps increasing
Journalists keep reporting
Poets keep writing
Music keeps playing
Teachers keep teaching
Clergymen keep praying
Preachers keep preaching
Protestors keep protesting
Faith keeps searching
Peace keeps fading
Ignorance keeps showing
Missiles keep shooting
Humanity keeps bleeding
World keeps sleeping
Babies keep dying
Mothers keep crying
Categories:
protestors, humanity, introspection, war,
Form:
Monorhyme
I watched as Johnny was handed a uniform
Saw him trained him to kill, in a regiment conform
Marched by his side in Vietnam jungles warm
There was little regard to how war did us harm
By parachute dropped to a ghastly death scene
Johnny ached for the life left behind, so serene
His family, fiancé did not know what war means
Especially the haunting of lost children's screams
No ticker-tape parades, no welcome for us then
We were scorned as monsters, baby-killing men
Jeers from protestors and an uncaring government
Greeted the lonely Vietnam Veteran
No accolades received from a nation displeased
But we had not asked to be sent overseas
The rich sent their sons to universities
For families with wealth dodging the draft was a breeze
The "benefits" we found would astound all now
Homeless Vietnam vets still dwell amongst the crowd
And it leaves one to wonder how our hallowed ground
Could have so many unnamed graves of men once proud
I still see vets suffering disgraceful neglect
To say Vietnam wasn’t “war” shows no respect
by Carolyn Devonshire
for Miranda Lambert's "World of War: Vietnam" contest
Categories:
protestors, warwar, war,
Form:
Rhyme
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance." Cicero , 55 BC
controversy over government nothing new
Civil War? oxymoron
in a country divided, there is no civility
protestors fume on Wall Street
Tea Partiers toss their caffeine into the mix
Federal Reserve makes unauthorized loans
but to whom we do not know
states debate seceding from the union
families learn to live on budgets
countries spend what they don’t have
why don’t we learn from history?
“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”
is there anything left for us?
look to Cicero and sages of the past
Plato and Socrates will set the disenfranchised straight too
*Entry for Brian’s “Anywhichway” contest
Categories:
protestors, history, social,
Form:
Free verse
...And of course who can forget all the
black-on-black we see every day?
More people are killed by such violence
then cops could ever dare take away.
Take all the dead from the rioting
and, depressingly, you will all find
it matches a weekend’s murder count
in Chicago..let that sit in your mind.
Are all their deaths somehow less tragic
because their killers weren’t pale of flesh?
I keep waiting for folks to address this,
but at this point I won’t hold my breath.
Speak of this and all the people bray
that your evil and ‘victim-blaming,’
then they proclaim that ‘Black Lives Matter,’
but ignore their culture isn’t working.
The worst of it, we should acknowledge,
is the two hundred fifty black lives
that are taken from us every day
by the cuts of abortionist knives.
To think of all those young lives cut short
is horrific and so frightening,
think of a medium-sized company
every day up and disappearing.
But if this fact is ever brought up,
these same protestors act all appalled,
they think this means that you ‘hate women,’
that those children have no rights at all!
The fact that half of those kids are girls
never seems to enter into their heads.
They like to say ‘Black Lives Matter,’
but then make their very children dead.
Now the great unifying factor
that binds up all the hypocrisy
is that they only seem to promote
dark-skinned people if they are lefties.
They do not talk of excessive force
when pale people are shot down by cops,
but if it happens in blue cities
then they demand the whole country stop!
They care not for a dark-skinned person
who built up a good life through hard work,
nor the future children of these towns,
nor good people tired on the jerks.
In fact the left resents these people,
since you can’t control virtuous folk,
the only Black Lives that matter to them
are the ones who bring Democrats votes.
Categories:
protestors, abortion, how i feel,
Form:
Rhyme
I can understand why Harry and Meghan
want to leave the royal fold
to get away from media abuse
to get away from public scrutiny
People want a life, children want freedom
yet royalty also wants respect
fighting for the just cause of overcoming poverty,
Improving the world's environment
could be used to gain respect for royalty
and the leaders of the world
protestors worldwide are behind a push
to overcome environment problems
linking people together
getting them to become investors
in world environmental concepts
would see the world come together
protestors and leaders
fighting for the same cause
building respect for both groups,
respect for the world's leaders
and environmental protestors
building jobs worldwide could
gain respect for the world's leaders
worldwide respect for all the world countries
Might see a world pathway
that leads to peace
third world countries watch on
as American children run riot
as American prisons and streets
run riot with drugs, crime, and abuse
respect is lost and people rise
believing they can do better
The worlds wars are created
through conflicting needs
conflicting beliefs
people believing they know better
but people follow leaders
they can respect
If we as a world can build leaders respect
maybe they can lead us to peace
Categories:
protestors, inspiration, international,
Form:
Narrative
The votes counted
More ballots were founded
Voters in record numbers
Political sites, lots of funders
Plenty of unrest
Opposing sides, candidates at their best
Can we work together
Solutions instead of division. Oh, that's clever.
Taking sides, talking battles
Criticizing, interruptions, so much, it rattles
Working together
Sounds better
Political choices
The prople's voices
Demonstations, people shouting
Others doubting
Signs are made
They're not getting paid
Choices, confusion ensues
Who doesn't have the blues
The protestors march
Walking under the arch
Lots to say
Their cause will stay
Categories:
protestors, political,
Form:
Rhyme
You are told there is no pandemic.
You are told it’s all a hoax.
You are told it’s a deep state conspiracy.
Three thousand deaths here,
three thousand deaths there,
pretty soon you’re talking about real people.
And then you learn it will end in two weeks.
And then you learn testing is available for anyone.
And then you learn there’s enough ventilators and masks.
Five thousand deaths here,
five thousand deaths there,
pretty soon you’re talking about real people.
But you are assured it will be over by Memorial Day.
But you are assured that hydroxychloroquine is the magic elixir.
But you are assured the states can all reopen.
Ten thousand deaths here,
ten thousand deaths there,
pretty soon you’re talking about real people.
Surely you believe it will be over by summer.
Surely you believe drinking Lysol is the cure.
Surely you believe there will be no second wave.
Fifty thousand deaths here,
fifty thousand deaths there,
pretty soon you’re talking about real people.
Now you know all the health rules go too far.
Now you know about the government plot.
Now you cheer on the Neo-Nazi protestors.
One hundred thousand deaths here,
one hundred thousand deaths there,
pretty soon you’re talking about real people.
Intertwined in survival,
no one is an island, John Donne observed.
Do not ask for whom the death tolls.
It tolls for you.
Published: Dissident Voice, July 26,2020
Categories:
protestors, allusion, america, death, funeral,
Form:
Political Verse
The revolution
Everybody has a limit , a time when enough is enough
You must fight for what you believe in ,even when the going gets tough
In the cold 25th in the midst of Jan
Stood every freedom fighting child , lady and man
The tyrannic dictator thought that he would last
He thought he could win this and end the revolution fast
30 years is along time , but everything must come to an end
For your voice you must fight , for your honor you must defend
1 day passed , he thought everyone would leave
But they stayed for day 2 , in that he did not believe
On the third day of the revolt , there came a cavalry attack
Camels , horses and donkeys to push the protestors back
Many lost their lives but their memories lived on
They lost their lives so the tyrants would be gone
They were used as a symbol for inspiration
They were used for hope in times of desperation
The police attacked but did not succeed
The people refused to fall to tyrannical greed
After weeks the system started to crumble
Patriotic chants would make the ground rumble
Until that faithful february day
When everyone listened to what the tyrants man had to say
The tyrant gave up the rebels thought they won
They thought it was over , they thought they were done
But the country got worse the job is not yet complete
The country is devastated and it's economy obsolete
We must continue on the fight to make a better land
We must no let this pass, we must all make a stand
For every martyr who gave their lives
Leaving behind their children and wives
We owe it to them to make their dream come true
To make Egypt better for me and for you
We must work harder than ever to restore our country's pride
We must bring happiness to all who have cried
We must better ourselves and take pride in our nation
To repair all of this devastation
We are all Egyptians we must all unite
We must push on and carry on the fight
So it does not matter what happens to me
We will not stop until Egypt is free
Categories:
protestors, adventure, hope, inspirational, day,
Form:
Rhyme
"Disappointment"
YOU SHOULD RAAGE...
Against protestors pushed out the city parks.
RAAGE...
Against black women beaten on the freeway.
RAAGE...
Against shooting best friends accidentally.
RAAGE...
Against some deep protect and serve concrete mind sets.
RAAGE...
Against human beings less than property.
Yay, even movie stars live behind bars.
YOU SHOULD RAAGE...
Against carrying 9mm while teaching ABC's.
RAAGE...
Against calls for help leading to blood and screams.
RAAGE...
Against mentally ill killed without sorrow.
RAAGE...
Against the secret keeping from the people.
RAAGE...
Against the "don't believe your eyes" Legacy.
RAAGE...
Against hoody teens murder immunity.
RAAGE....
Against a society's double standards.
RAAGE...
Against unprotecting of minorities.
RAAGE...
Against Dr. King's dream, for most folks, still unseen,
A blind justice that sees only blue or green.
RAAGE...
Standing our ground was how society was raised.
PRAISE...
A leader raised in poverty understands rage.
Outside the white house an angry parade decree,
"Enraged are we, the way some are treated differently,
All us citizens are the same, despite color or claim".
Those were great days.
Categories:
protestors, america, anger, discrimination,
Form:
Enclosed Rhyme
Dissenters dominate the streets,
The public dominion of demonstrations.
This POTUS threatens military domination.
Just forget the pesky First Amendment.
Sowing seeds of civil war
The best path to reelection.
Yet remonstrations rally relentless,
One man’s terminal chokehold
A symbol of structural racism.
A metaphor for the socioeconomic suffocation,
The clamor and commotion
torn and tormenting in every town.
Protestors street hue and cry,
voices of the marginalized and forgotten .
A human chain of disputant dissentients,
Occupiers striking for a new order.
Rebels demanding
a new systemic justice.
Categories:
protestors, america, anger, change, murder,
Form:
Political Verse
Ruby
Ruby Bridges was one of the first Black American pupils
in a 'White' school
after racial segregation was declared unconstitutional.
It was November 14th, 1960 when six year old Ruby sat in school alone,
children and teachers stayed at home.
RUBY......
'My Mother took special care getting me dressed that day,
new White shoes, stiffly starched White dress
and a White ribbon in my hair'
She told me:
'there may be a lot of people outside school today,
but there's no need to be afraid,
i'll be with you all the way'.
Four federal US Marshal's came to the door to drive us to school.
As we got in the car my Mother said:
'Ruby, I want you to behave yourself today and do what the Marshals say'.
As the Marshals extracted me from the Cavalcade
a jangle of jeering shrieks rose from the barricade:
2-4-6-8 we don't want to integrate, sang the protestors
I didn't know what these words meant
After school, I taught a friend this chant
I guess when I heard the tirade
that we had stumbled on the Mardi Gras parade
THEN.....
The Whites of my eyes shone
like those of a frightened Fawn
as a protester held a coffin carrying a little Black doll.
ON LOOKER:
As the sun burns away haze from the Mississippi River
large crowds began to gather.
White Women in Toreador pants
shouting hateful chants
at the small Black girl in a starched White dress
gripping her Mothers hand
Surrounded by racial turmoil
yet courageous and standing tall
Ruby is an inspiration to us all.
Categories:
protestors, black african american, discrimination,
Form:
Free verse
All Dreams Matter
In a dream I envisioned all of the “protestors” dropping their banners, joining hands, making an agreement to meet every evening for as long as necessary to bring about the changes that would ensure the meaning of the lives that matter.
Imagine what could happen if those thousands of people gathered in a neighborhood, walked through the streets and playgrounds picking up the drug paraphernalia that endangers their children; sat on the park benches as children played of a summer evening; stood as one in the face of the drug dealers.
Imagine what could happen if the preachers stopped preaching and started acting; politicians stopped pontificating, showed up when the camera crews left.
Imagine what could happen if the protestors stopped shouting and started talking to each other, listening to each other, sat down with each other to share a cup of coffee, a sunset, an evening without fear.
All lives matter…..to someone….Every death is a scar upon humanity. Every tear an acid pain etched into a heart, every night an endless darkness, every sunrise an emptiness.
I dream dreams too long dreamt, too long unfulfilled.
I close my eyes in silent protest of shattered dreams hoping that somehow we can piece the dreams together because all dreams matter.
John G. Lawless
7/14/2015
Categories:
protestors, dream, future, humanity, drug,
Form:
Prose
Week six.
There is a natural disaster occurring, tsunamis of
morning queasiness Monday through Friday, Tuesday's
lunch on my favorite pants, denial dances on the weekends.
It was Sunday. One word, two syllables causes a tornado
of emotions, hurricanes of tears hit my hands and pours to
the floor, my heart sinks and drowns. How many casualties will there be?
Fact:
I account for thirteen percent of the population but
thirty-seven percent of all abortions.
Saturday.
With my hoodie sheltering my identity, I enter the building.
Protestors, shouting this is murder, hand me pamphlets that I ball up and
throw away, sign my name and wait. Blood samples and pee tests.
Ultrasound pictures, nurses ask do I want to be sleep or awake?
Counselor asks how will I feel on Sunday? Floods of tears drench
my shirt, uncertainty and guilt gets caught in my throat. It’s time.
Fact: I am five times more likely to get an abortion than white women.
I remain stoic.
But in the inside, I tremble like a newborn antelope fearing the new world.
I weep like a lioness losing her cub. The nurses strap my legs to the paddles.
My heart beats and I swore if you looked closely, you could see it protruding
out my chest, my mind races and I swore I saw galaxies and landed on Saturn,
I stare out at the strawberry colored walls and I remembered how far along
the nurse said I was. I couldn't muster the nerve to look at the ultrasound screen.
Fact: Sixty-nine percent of pregnancies of black women are unintended compared
to fifty percent of hispanic women and forty percent of white women.
Seven weeks and six days.
Categories:
protestors, body,
Form:
Narrative
Food fight at a banquet, food fight by the starving
Book bonfire's acrid black smoke, petrol on putrid pond, panicked protestors
Insanity's fantasy, shrieking empty conflict, taking sides, genocide
Anarchy between regimes, massacre, surrender, repression, purges, injustice
Ranks of soldiers: on parade - before battle - in the cemetery
Political Rubik's cube - all faces white - pointless puzzle - unending utopia
Despotic metronome beating life - drudgery - purgatory - tyranny - slavery
Entry to "seven for chaos and order" contest
Written 28th January 2017
Categories:
protestors, betrayal, conflict, confusion, corruption,
Form:
Verse
Protestors are in the streets, blocking traffic even causing death.
They vandalize cars, ignite fires with continual crimes and assault police.
The president speaks to them now, tells them - do not remain silent!
We watch a clear act of empowering these actions right before us,
Instead of condemning this lawlessness and anarchy.
This is not speaking for the law abiding victims of these riots.
It is giving the message to protestors in the streets - continue.
Do not remain silent?
This is not about freedom of speech being stopped.
This is not about peaceful assembly to continue.
This is about the destruction of property, businesses,
Violence in our streets and lives lost in the process
With a president who thinks they should ‘march on’.
Heidi Sands
Categories:
protestors, angst,
Form:
Free verse