Bernie Slutsky

  The voice is in the distance but it's getting closer and closer Louder and louder It is piercing, wailing, raging It grieves It is exhausting Tired Its been beaten, dragged through the streets, lynched, shot Left for dead Forgotten Pushed aside Did you hear it yet? Is it not loud enough? Your ears are covered Maybe you see it The tears The funerals The marches The signs that demand equality The signs that demand justice The signs that demand respect The art that portrays the ones that were killed Do you feel it yet? The desperation, the fear, the anger, sorrow, rawness, hopelessness Do you feel your fear, your shame, your guilt? Is it catching up? The divide is caving in What are you going to do? When we live at another's expense Is it worth it? When White privilege is a priority Is it worth it? When we look at strangers or outsiders with righteousness in our eyes Is it worth it? When we marginalize people of color or those who have a different sexual preference than we do Is

  "Everyone on this call has ancestors that ran from something!" He paused then said it again. "Everyone on this call has ancestors that ran from something!" His deep voice had conviction that penetrated my skin. It was like thunder from the sky that shook up my insides. The vibrations in my head flowed down my arms through my chest and into my stomach. They dropped to my legs then feet. I saw the image of my mother and her family fleeing Poland. They didn't leave Poland they escaped. To get away from oppression, violence and death. She told me about this when I was a child. I would hear more and more as I got older. It has been decades and I never welcomed the real story inside my body. It settled somewhere inside my gut, my chest, my throat.  It made itself at home on its own. The full narrative of running away from the trauma of war and oppression has been lying dormant in my being for almost seventy years. I have had a tremor in my hands ever since I can rem

  Many seasons have toughened my skin My legs have planted and pushed off mountain trails and forest floors People have been tender to me They filled my heart They betrayed and abandoned me They used and cheated me Yet they have all loved me And I have been naive, arrogant, and righteous I have been brilliant, compassionate, and persevered I have seen numerous shades of grey and blue skies I have been mesmerized by the hues of countless sunsets and sunrises The glittering stars at night have left me in wonder This is my life lived and I see it now passing by me What is left now in this infinite space around me? My heart tells me to be whole - real - awake - alive To not sleep this season away There is a freedom deep inside that is fighting to come out And I don't want to get in its way I don't want to disappoint myself Not be complete I see the little boy inside me Who is curious and excited Who is confused about people Who is innocent Who wants to understand people and why the