Monday, October 23, 2023

To Woody Guthrie and those who hold our songs

Shell shock?
Communist sympathies?
used to worry
no history
left to us.
But that day
we sang the old ones
"We shall overcome."
The fascists recorded
called us crazy
but we practiced
all our lives
for that moment.
For every ancestor
who asked hard questions
who fought for better,
We are poor vessels.
but we retell your stories,
we carry your fires,
"Who am I to question?"
I was born a questions.
When babies still stolen,
When queers were dangerous,
When kids were stupid.
Too stupid to stop,
I keep asking
keep practicing
can't forget the words
press tune to flesh,
"We shall..."

NanaBjörn Aug 23
To Joel who taught me songs

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