What will we do
to save our children
from the monsters that hide
not under beds
nor in the shadows on the wall
but prowl the streets
and wait for the yellow bus
and that one last lingering child
who dillydallies
jumping over puddles
skipping down the road
singing silly songs
she only learned today?
What will we do
to hold back mothers and fathers
from taking the law into their hands
when we ourselves have decided
to join them?
How do we turn this world
upside down and inside out again
and will it ever, ever end . . .
the sacrifices of the innocents among us?
What will we do
when the seas dry up
and there is no more salt
left for tears?
What will we do
when poets are no longer needed?
Joanne Cucinello 2009
Why the last line??Other than that,which confuses me, i like the post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking, Rohini.
ReplyDeleteI put that last line in to express my exasperation.
The suffering of little children in the hands of
abusers and murderers seemingly will continue
till the end of time and no one is able to stop it.
"What will we do when the seas dry up and
there is no more salt left for tears?" . . . is metaphorical,
meaning our own interior seas (emotions) will dry up,
because there are no tears left . . . then what will we do?
Will we still be human?
Poets use their words to elicit emotion and touch that
place within, where the tabloids and the news papers do not roam.
When poets are no longer needed to cry out against injustice,
when people want them silenced so they don't have to
listen with their hearts anymore . . .
will we have lost our souls?
That is why I wrote the last lines.
I truly thank you for caring enough to ask.
Joanne
That does make sense then.Thanks for the response. Very insightful.
ReplyDeleteLet there be no doubt that the country is grieving daily from the horrid and disgusting abuse upon the children..it saddens me. I believe that if this does not stop soon, that the world will not recover...the positivity needs to be rendered from the Lightworkers...Your work was quite thought provoking...thank you for your thoughts...
ReplyDelete((I have been absent from your wonderful blog and blogging for life and health issues..nice to read your page again..))
Thank you, Margaret. It's so nice to hear from you again. I visited your blog awhile ago and really do need to return and read some more of the wonderful work you're doing and the amazing energy you put out there on the internet . . . where we need so much of it. I'll be visiting very soon. Peace,
ReplyDeleteJoanne
I like the imagery of this poem.
ReplyDeleteEspecially the part about the seas drying up. It reminded me of something you would hear about in the global warming debate.
Very timely and moving.
Thank you, Travis. I'm glad to hear that my words touched you!
ReplyDeleteKind regards,
Joanne