I remember
When life was longer
When days were righter
When wrong was wronger
& I remember
in September
or was it March
perhaps December
when life seemed cleaner
grass was greener
people nicer
now mean is meaner
& I remember
before rendition
un-extraordinary
thought suppression
before they kidnapped
in orange jumpers
flew to Cuba
and hired humpers
for unillateral mind controlling
militarial sell your souling
Before the Catholics
raped little boys
before school shootings
made such noise
before big pharma killed the stars
before the psychs had passed up cars
in greatest deaths
in the land of the free
before America
lost her liberty
And I remember
one November
when I was younger, meek and tender,
when I gave my money to every bum I’d see,
When I lost my car, when I’d lose my keys,
when I’d settle for no,
when I’d always say please
when I’d fall down hard
when I bloodied my knees
when I’d tolerate abuse
when I used to get teased,
But now like the world,
I’m a different man
I stand up tall
I do the best that I can
I look at the bright side
I learn more each day
I master my mind
I think before I say
the words in my head
and the fire in my soul
I follow my bliss
without leaving a hole
I learn from my mistakes
and preferably theirs’
I made peace with myself,
I recited some prayers.
I finally learned
what life was for
to leave this place
better than before
it was when I
was without form
to make it better
because I was born
and because I lived
some others live too
ending their pain
and stopping the abuse
By Bruce Edwin
2014
