Moon and Sun
Same side as Earth
Dark of the Moon
Invisible against a backdrop
Of the central star
Confused where we are
A brief death
Lack of energy
Sluggish tides
Where we abide
Inside a day of love
It is 2018
About to be
A stopping of breath
AR-15 pierces a dark day
Of the mind
Tommy Jefferson has a dream
So far away
From king and country
Rights of the land
Penned by men like
Jamie Madison
With help from Georgie Mason
At the home of their friend
Benjy Franklin
Now he bids goodbye
Heading south on his horse
To his bit of brown sugar
No serious thoughts
Whether rights should apply
To his secret sons
Born in slavery
But they’d have his money
To see them through
And Tommy thinks
Of the militia
Armed
Number Two
On that Bill of Rights
Keep the land safe and strong
That’s what goes through
Tommy’s mind in 1791
As he clatters along
The safe road to Monticello
The safe road to freedom
And over 300 years later
The Moon reflects no sun
Only the darkness of souls
Lost to a soulless gun
Personal freedom
A new Magna Carta
So says Jamie Madison
Thundering words to the new
House of Representatives
“The Right of the People
To keep and bear arms
Should not be infringed!”
Okay, okay, we get it
Arms needed for defense of a country
Or defense of a home
DEFENSE is the magical mixture
Of letters and sounds
“A well regulated militia
Being necessary to the
Security of a free State!”
SECURITY is the magical mixture
Of letters and sounds
We get it
Security
Defense
Nowhere do we say
Assassination is okay
NOT
The assassination of rival gangs
Of government parasites
Of babies in American schools
K to 12 or colleges
Our babies, our children
The assassination of teachers, parents
Or office workers
Those doing the daily chores of life
With terrible timing
Nowhere does it say
The right to bear arms
Can be used offensively
An offense against morality
Yet on this day of love in 2018
The Moon reflects no sun
Only the metal of a soulless gun
Nowhere does it say…
Nowhere…
© 2018 Clarissa Simmens (ViataMaja)
IMAGE: Bill of Rights plaque, VOA Learning English