marley
poetry
black rain
It’s only fitting-
Don’t you think?
That the sky
Should finally learn
Our stains
That the clouds
Should carry
The same weight
We’ve been dragging
For years.
You look up and say,
What is that?
Black clouds.
Black rain.
But you’re wrong.
Those clouds-
They didn’t roll in
From some distant storm.
No.
They rose.
They rose
From the quiet places
Where we buried our grief.
They rose
From every scream
That never made it
Past closed doors.
They rose
From tears
You trained yourselves
Not to see.
From protests
You called too loud.
From warnings
You called dramatic.
From pain
You called exaggeration.
And now the sky
Is carrying it.
Look at it.
The clouds are thick with it.
Heavy with it.
Swollen with years
Of ignored voices.
And when it falls-
When the rain
Finally falls-
You ask us:
“Does it hurt?”
No.
Not more.
Not less.
Just…
More visible.
Because black rain
Is only the shadow
Of what’s already happened.
It’s the photograph
Of what’s been left behind.
You didn’t hear the screams.
You ignored the tears.
Our bold acts of protest
Barely made you look up
From your comfortable skies.
But now-
Now the clouds are dark.
Now the rain stains everything it touches.
So I have to ask you again.
Look up.
Really look.
Do you see us now?
Standing here
Beneath the black clouds—
Beneath the black rain.
rhythm of the night
Flashes of light pierce through the shutters
A Rhythm like Joropo breaks the silence of the night
What is it they wonder
The ground quickly answers
Bombs and fighters jets
We’re under attack
Hours pass which feel like days
Bags have been packed
Children carefully counted
Bracing for impact
News floods the streets
A stolen nations dictator
Has been captured at last
Celebration and grief
Begin to divide our bonds
Does this mean we’re finally free
Or has the worst
Yet come to be
winters of war
Sipping tea by candlelight
Ideas of romance or reprieve
A first glance might conceive
But a tool for survival
The candles still loom
It might seem odd
We’re dancing with snow beneath our feet
But it’s actually warmer than indoors with no heat
Years of torture and countless airstrikes
Three weeks without smoke is the longest we’ve seen
While a month of no power has become the usual scene
Through sleepless nights and famished days
We rely on each other to walk through the haze
We mourned and grieved our missing children
And later discovered
Them listed like cattle
And given new names
Nothing can ever be the same
The destruction and pain is here to stay
We hope in time we find a way
To rebuild what’s been lost
Before the memories fade
Will we get the chance to remind them their names
Or will they be the ones carrying guns
During the next wave
goodbye, my angels
Peace filled my heart
Comfort knowing my kids were safely learning
Just a few hours more and we’d be together again
Homework, board games, all the small things that make a family whole.
My kids were safe
But were yours?
I did what any good mother would do
ICE was in my town
They’re in yours too
I could’ve kept driving
I chose to stop
I chose to fight
I’d seen this before
I was ready
My wife said “Let’s go!”
Peaceful but loud
We were meant to be heard
The mission was two-fold
Warn our neighbors to keep them safe
And make ICE understand, they’re not welcome in our space
I danced with my car horn
I wasn’t alone
Together we made it known
Our neighbors were not safe at home
Then everything happened so fast
I didn’t know what to do
They had me surrounded
Something was wrong
I could feel it – I just knew
One grabbed for my arm
Another unholstered his gun
There was no time to ask
“What have I done?”
A sharp light blinds me
Panic floods in
No – This isn’t right
My baby boy has already lost his dad
My two oldest aren’t ready
to face this world without me
The light grows closer
Fills everything I see
Something pulls me backward
There’s so much left unsaid
Goodbye, Becca
Goodbye, My Angels
Goodbye, my neighbors and friends
If this is where my voice ends
Let it rise in yours
Stand where I stood
Choose courage over silence
Again and again
Until no family is forced to say goodbye
