History Repeats Because Those Who Write It Write Repetition
#47 of poetry
I no longer have it in me to be angry or surprised at the bigots trying to crush basic human decency.
I find myself angrier than ever at the decent reasonable people deliberately ignoring the bigots trying to crush basic human decency, who could easily stop them, and do nothing.
First they came for the socialists, and I spoke out--
Because I had read That Poem.
Loved its pathos,
Its tragedy,
And its warning.
They came for natives, black people, immigrants, refugees--
And I spoke out.
They came for the poor and the homeless--
And I spoke out.
They came for trans people--
And as I was speaking out,
I realized
They weren't listening
Because they had read That Poem too.
Loved its pathos,
It's tragedy,
And wanted to write its like themselves
About me.
And now they are waiting for them to come for me--
After which they will say:
What tragedy,
What pathos,
That I did not speak out.