Poetry

Protest after protest,

chant after chant. 

I watch and listen

as people continuously fight for their rights.

But the fighting should’ve been over

on July 4th, 1776

when it was declared that

I get it, you have it worse,

I get it, you're in pain,

I get it, I don't matter,

Not to you, anyway.

So when you call my name,

I shall fast come running,

Leave myself behind,

Even as I'm losing time.

I’m afraid of the dark

And the art

I haven’t made

The places not stayed

And the overstayed welcomes I

Know not to inhale the stratosphere keep

Both feet on the ground

And look straight ahead

It's 12:34 AM on July 5th, 2025 and I still see fireworks going off in the sky.

I hear the booms, the bangs, the commotion of endless fireworks

going on for hours

still raging

on a brand new day.

I'm smiling to myself,

remembering,

reminiscing,

the good times.

The times where it was you,

and me,

against the world.

Who would stop us?

"listen close,"

you spoke as we lay sprawled out on the grass.

the festival's lights were bright.

the first firework of the night shot up.

"what comes first,"

"the boom or the light?"

blow out your candles. 

make a wish.

hold up a protest sign.

tonight the fireworks spell R E S I S T.

your hair's in pigtails braided red blue and white.

It's the fourth of July 

which usually means fun and excitement and cool parades to avoid when driving around 

but this year, 

this year is not a fun fourth of July 

This year I didn’t lay out an outfit for the fourth,

This year I wore all blue

I didn’t want to represent the other side,

Not today.

This year we didn’t go to the parade 

i think of you every night 
as the calmness of the dark 
washes over me 
comforting me 
as i pray that i'll see you again 

With hair dripping,

Splashed with the stars

Not yet visible to our eyes,

We jumped,

Dived,

Splashed into the pathway

Of sunlight

they're scared. 

that's it. 

they: shout misspelled arguments in all caps send soldiers to peaceful 

protests yell into microphones turned all the way up shut down dissent