(day of the Kent State/Jackson State murders)
Already,
a glimpse revealing a weather change
impossible to sit in one place
but long enough to question
Apparently,
few who situate themselves
between the road outside and inside war/peace boundaries
may never understand
ONE LIFE LIVED
EQUALS
ONE HUMAN BLOOD
And,
here and now
precious lives climax and expire,
and we survivors prepare for the choice:
to live on w/ wide-open eyes
or retreat erecting granite walls
decorating more young graves
this endless rain
Almost,
some close friend's gotta know
which hole to rise up from
which hole to forever sleep in,
gotta know
broken pieces of truth
left to harvest,
left to share
Alt,
I could be five times these 21 years
and still would protest this war:
…both sides standing face to face
loaded and ready
both generals meeting on horseback
discussing ground rules…
moments later the two adversaries confidently ride away,
two men in my clothes wearing my face-
and suddenly
a whistle blows:
I am being arrested for treason!
Paterson, NJ, 5/4/70