It is another Poetry Friday and there is continued tragedy in America beyond the Corona virus. Mary Lee is hosting and she has been using her blog, A Year of Reading, to support the #Blacklivesmatter, the family of George Floyd and all people of color who simply ask for the justice that white people enjoy every day. No one can be neutral. Thank you Mary Lee.
I wrote this to express my frustration.
WHAT A WHITE PERSON CAN DO FOR GEORGE FLOYD Blind cops broken justice black man killed with a knee four against one. We must speak up! SPEAK UP! © Janice Scully 2020
I was going to post about nature, share a poem about the progression of flowers outside, but it seems inappropriate now. Maybe next week.
What does it take for people to get through tragedy?
On-line yesterday I listened to British playwright Simon Stephens talk about his play SEA WALL, a monologue staring actor Andrew Scott, that he shared this week on YouTube. In this short play an unthinkable family tragedy occurs. In a discussion afterward Stephens said that the only mature response to a terrible tragedy is strive to find optimism. I think that what he said is true, but with the leadership we have in America, racism, and the rampant lack of empathy for those who suffer, it optimism possible? But still we try to find a way forward.
I will end with a photo of my beautiful bleeding heart plant. Maybe there’s a little hope in it because it never quits. It keeps coming back every year. Sympathetic people, tree huggers, etc, those who try to help others are called bleeding hearts as if it’s a weakness, but these flowers seem to belie that with their beauty.
Thank you again, Mary Lee, for hosting.
Yes. What we might ordinarily have posted today needs to be set aside so that we can share our outrage and our plans to do and be better. Thank you for this.
I so appreciate your dedication to diversity, Mary Lee.
Hear, hear, I echo all your concerns and also wonder if optimism during this time is even possible. It gets harder and more complicated every day with the current administration.
But we still try to write and post so that says something.
Janice,
Your poem speaks to the outrage: SPEAK UP and OUT. I CANNOT believe as a human being, a white one, what is on that video, but I CAN and DO BELIEVE IT. It is disgusting, purely disgusting. Things MUST change. I weep for the mothers of black men and boys and the fear that must envelope them every waking moment. It has to change. It is SO wrong. What is wrong with those who commit such revolting acts in the name of “justice”? Hatred needs to end and love and understanding has to develop, even if only by inches.
Thank you for reading and your heartfelt response. I hope you are doing well. Enjoying the summer weather?
Yes, it’s hard to think about anything else.
I’m coming to your blog post after the violence that’s erupted in so many cities following the peaceful demonstrations for George Floyd. In Chicago our mayor has put curfews in place and blocked off access to our downtown area that was so heavily rampaged. Thank you Janice, for writing to this tragedy, and for your bleeding hearts which many of us feel deeply.