Lulu_D

I woke in the middle of the night

Oblivious to the pain that would come in 4 hours 

When I woke up to my dad next to my bed a sad look on his face

My world shattered.

My little sister 

Only 7 years old 

Innocent 

And yet strong willed 

She will grow up 

In this country 

With this president 

This person who calls himself 

sitting in bed close to 7 am waiting for the election tracker to light up. 

sitting in bed close to 8 am doomscrolling through election websites knowing it's all futile now.

this is not a poem. 

this is not a song.

this is not metaphor, a sonnet, an ode, not a ballad, a rant, not even a dream–

this is a plea. 

No. 

I refuse to be afraid.

We are so caught in the coming climb

We forget to turn and see the cliffs we've scaled.

I am living in a country where a woman is bracing for a climb to greater heights