Only Human
____
Destruction, Genocide, War
Pain, Suffering, Despair
Do we deserve to witness more sunsets?
So many sins and horrors,
Past haunted by ghosts of old

How can one race do so much evil?
How may we be worthy of life?

Call me naïve, but I have faith
Despite it all, we are good
No matter the heartbreak and bloodshed
Rivers of crystal tears and burning shells

We're only human, forgive us

Still we stand, together
One planet
One people

We won't last or impress,
But we needn't do so
When we have turned to dust and the earth has swallowed us whole,
The wind will remember our songs
There is beauty in our flawed existence
We fall and break as leaves
And we stand like spring
Over and over

Break my heart a million times over
Tear away my peace for a lifetime
Burn the books of freedom and cut out our tongues
There will still be yearning and light

If only we're brave enough to see it

Let us be brave together

A Lament
____
Through the little streams of old forests,
The weeping wind from the south
And trunks that have seen empires rise and fall

She walks in starlight
Far away in forgotten lands
With dreams in her hair and blood on her lips

She returns in dreams and laughs
Dancing to woodland song she returns
Never quite there, but never truly gone

Amsterdam Central
____
Sitting in the train heading to Amsterdam
Green landscapes pass by
Hand in hand with unknown souls
The Parting Glass by Hozier accompanies the matcha tea

An Irish worshipper and painted cup for company
Scribbling in a notebook and gazing out the window

The urge to part forever is great
Ride the train to the last stop and see whatever comes after

Instead I text my vó and check out in Amsterdam Central
Goodnight and joy be with you all
Comrades and sweethearts, I wish thee well
May I find ye in every universe to come

The Simpleton's Anger
_____
Everyone fears the kind man's anger
'Beware, beware' they say
Cowering when he picks up his rifle and starts marching

But kind men have reasons
Justified anger that is directed
Marching and aiming at one target

Simpleton's anger is terrifying
Undirected and purely volatile
Not feared for its simplicity

But simple men have no reason
Blind and hot fury, ready to strike
Take out anyone who's near

Demons may run when good men march,
But darling,
Gods flee when simple men scream