THE CITY BEAUTIFUL
In nineteen seventy three hate burned down
the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans. The French
Quarter lost thirty-two lives burned down,
down, down into hate-spawned martyrdom’s trench.
If we hate them and they live far away -
can we kill them and make them go away?
We can kill each and every one one day
and drone on and on every precious day
As the drums of destruction hammer on
as multitudes’ faiths and beliefs lean on,
all of our safety and welfares lean on
the cycle of destruction going on.
There is pain in some media spotlight
arguing who may be wrong and who right
and there is no peace in the Pulse of night,
no speeches forbidding displays of might
as though peace is a goal easy to leave
and life a treasure simple to retrieve.