bite the bullet

pray with pen

Spirit sighs

“I live again”

resilience resurrecting

with each stroke

breathe and write

“I live again”

trauma tricked

my tongue

into talking less

folks wronged my rights

til my courage regressed

what’s an essay to a fascist?

what’s a pen to a pig?

how does this oligarchal circus?

keep getting so big?

the game’s rigged

hope’s skewed

civil rights

chopped n screwed

backspace

retreat

past progress

delete

Did I give up?

Or respite?

Breathe in

Breathe deep

Blizzard

Striking

No sleep

Under covers

Chilly feet

trains pass

whispering

of my ancestors

of my dreams

woke up early

historic temps

and demonstrations

calls to repent

real salt melts ice

across the land

liberty rings

big band

where blood soaked

into the land

and still cries out

again and again

different colors

different hands

died fighting

to somehow stand

freely?

forsaken treaties

burglars gone greedy

blood shackled feet

still swaying to the tune

of 13th amendment

and plantation theology

ghosts across colors

and tongues hum

spirituals

anthems

hymns

rooting on their kin

as they confront

new kings

with drones

and techno-crowns

of protection

while chasing trillions

and defying protections

deflecting accountability

and trading transparency

for surveillance & a serf class

across borders, cultures, and creeds

sow the masses

connect like grasses

creating create new tools

to dismantle new chains

too many have

been slain

in the name

of advancement

and progress

and connection

and coins

how much longer

will bloodshed

and earthly conquer

equate to power

doing the math

and knowing history

our clock is ticking

the fruit of our ancestors'

strife is heavy

and thickening

mantles fall

wildflowers grow

in messy fields

or under snow

my depression fades

the oppression stands

i remember where i am

unready to march

too sick for frontlines

this time

feels like i just got one foot

out of my own grave

Spirit whispers,

"you are still brave."

while Spirit grows

I sow again

with solidarity

and my pen

By Jocelyn Billheimer © (Joceliterary)