aubade

 

AUBADE

 

Not sunshine but wet hues of grey

sing mourning praise song,  tragic noise

for pandemic pain ---and worse ---

no robins twitter despair in Colorado

when Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa

used the color of the First Amendment

to publish his anger, his abysmally "normal" anger

in the red letters of ten once were true blue lives ---and worse --

recorded himself a pure American.

 

We hear his too loud anger,

the discordant noise of his song

as we take the communion of  a passionate breakfast---and worse--

ignore the holy spirits who weep

for a black man----

who weep for Mumia Abu-Jamal

who weep for

 the forty stations of his cross.

 

In New Orleans

we are old catholic masters of deception---and worse---

we indict Alissa,

we trial Alissa,

we condemn Alissa

with charity ---and worse ---

deny Mumia the same compassion,

when in faith

we should implore Our Lady of Prompt Succor

to bring comfort to Mumia,

bring freedom from injustice to Mumia,

bring hope to Mumia.

 

In New Orleans, we are what we are;

we overlook the seven wounds of the body politic

and believe by catechism

all is well in the world ---and worse.

 

Jerry W. Ward, Jr.            March 24, 2021

 

 

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