when you imagined your moment 

 

you rode a wild black horse your hair streamed protagonist, inciting antifascist hordes into a victory that could last always

 

beating your holy chest

to mend a million broken hearts

with the sound of justice

 

you never thought you would hold so much death in your hands

scroll limp children and mass graves

while standing barefoot in the kitchen 

tea growing cold in chipped abolition mug

while your fingers try to comfort, touch the screen to say: i am so sorry,  i see what you risk your life to show me

 

you never thought you would be swaying to federal hold music each day, casting ceasefire spells into shower water

 

replying to ancient, violent men 

who always approach with their palms out: 

“no. money. for. warmongers.” 

 

and teaching children

“always side with the trees”

 

you never thought it could be your silence, your restraint

your breathtaking disobedience

that rang in the next age of togetherness

 

and now you consider that perhaps your whole life crafted you for this moment

to risk all that you have, for them/us

to raise your voice in their/our song of life

of forever

right now 

today

 

let go of the systems hold on to the people

let go of the plans hold on to being of use

let go of being a savior on a hill

hold on to being the solidarity of the heart

 

we cannot save anyone   

but ourselves 

what a blessing, then

that we 

are still

one