Good Things Happen in Philadelphia

I’m tired of waking up

To historic headlines

And tragic losses.

It’s gone on too long.

Defeat surrounds me

Creeping closer and closer

Each waking moment.

But I will not give up.

I’ve watched my idols pass,

The ones I thought couldn’t.

I’ve mourned the beautiful forests,

Now just smoldering ruins.

Locust swarms, killer hornets,

Earthquakes, hurricanes,

Oh, I almost forgot,

The global pandemic.

It’s no secret,

2020 has beaten us down

Punch after punch

To seemingly no end.

Today however,

Things changed.

WE punched back.

Today,

We emerged victorious

From a seemingly endless

Election season.

Today,

We proved that character matters,

That injustice will be punished,

And that hate will never win.

Today,

While the whole world listened,

We spoke. 

No longer

Will the Cheeto-dusted bloviator

Represent us and our values.

No more.

We chose love.

We chose kindness.

We chose justice.

We chose truth.

And we chose together.

2020 has hit us hard,

That’s no secret.

But a wise Philadelphian once said:

“It’s not about how hard you hit, 

it’s about how hard you can get hit 

and keep moving forward”.

We all took a big step forward today,

Not just in Philadelphia.

And I am thankful

For each and every one of you.

To all of those who stood tall

And pushed back against evil.

I am eternally grateful.

WE did this.

And we did it together.

About the Author

Ryan Hiemenz is a Philadelphia native with a strong adoration of all things poetry and fiction. He loves trying to figure out the hidden meanings behind the words and applying those lessons to his everyday life. Aside from writing and reading, Ryan loves to spend his time surrounded by memes and comedy. He is always looking to make others smile in any way that he can!