Shriek and steel

Poem By Rafael Buelna


A crowd stands by frightened of obligations,
And Commitments will not be broken,
Foreign places?
We can’t be expected!
To die!
What money?
What faces?

Uneasy peace stressed by tribalism,
Nativism, nationalist or some sort of
Creepy pride that by sunset would be buried,
If we’re lucky
Deep in the earth,
It’s not over,
Don’t bother,
And for god sakes don’t cry!

Couldn’t bear to watch her die,
Nor to see him fade out,
Used and finished it was time to turn away,
To hear the shrieks would be in poor taste,
Some hearts are steel and cut without haste.

Hutu and Tutsi Genocide,
How could anyone forget?
Who forgot to dial?
The help never arrived.

Couldn’t bear to watch her die,
Nor to see him diminish,
That’s why I keep doing nothing.
But shriek when I close my eyes
And see nothing but blood drip down steel,
Souls fade away,
As a watch my heart dwindle.