This is not a poem. It’s a confession.

[Doreen Peri]

Someone said we relinquished
our power for the promise of comfort
and security.

I never imagined
that what he said he’d do
equated with
comfort or security.

It’s a dystopian nightmare with masked men
kidnappers, concentration camps,
and threats to citizens

even including our own military
which tells me things are going to get
much worse.

I’m scared to death.
I can’t sleep at night.
It’s too dark.

When I envisioned the
possibility of a civil war,
I thought it might be the
right wing citizens against
the left wing citizens.

Never in a million years
did I think it could be our own government
against those who call this home.
I’m shocked and paralyzed.

[sasha]

add to that anger, shame, & disillusionment