You Are Me

I understand the innocence of childhood

Because long ago I was you

An innocent with my whole life in front of me

Safe in my cocoon with my family

Playing happily in streets

Splashing in the rain

Paddling in the sea

And shrieking as the waves washed over me

As you used to

But you are not me

Your innocence has been stolen

Your life is in jeopardy

Your family are struggling

Or maybe dead

And you might now be alone

And hungry

My heart breaks for you

Because you should be me

You deserve to be free

You deserve your childhood

Your youth

Your adulthood

And your old age

But you may not get these things

And I am helpless

Fellow humans are suffering

And not alone in their pain

Thousands are in despair

I can’t imagine your pain and anger

Your fear and frustration

Your terror for your children

The sound of rockets overhead

Bombs in the streets

Soldiers in your houses

And the sight of the dead lying at your feet

Horrors that will never be erased

From tortured minds and damaged souls

Who will understand as no one can

The true meaning of inhumanity

I’m far away

You will never meet me

Old or young we are human

And you deserve better

But I will never get to tell you that

I won’t get to tell you either

That I don’t agree with this

I don’t support this

I want this to stop now

All I can say is that millions do care

But you will never hear our voices

Or see the tears on our faces

Or hear our anger and frustration for you

Our despair that we can’t help

And none of that is of any use to you

Because the people who would not allow this

Have no control

But if you hear that we don’t care

I promise you that is a lie of the worst kind

Because it leaves you feeling alone and abandoned

When so many would stop this

Deb Hawken

For any who are struggling through man’s inhumanity to man

January 2024