come on down to the Mermaid Cafe

				steadfast

the world is crumbling around us
	genocides, gunshots, and wannabe dictators
	hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and tsunamis
	I worry that we are Pompeii
		and it is too late to stop the lava, the ash, from covering us
				(from preservering our bodies perfect in this state of terror)
			  too late to save us from this nightmare

yet
      i remain steadfast in my will
			    my desire
			    my promise to keep fighting for us all
as
      you must, too

we must rise as as one
	strong
	determined
	ready for the fight of our lives
			the fight for the lives of our children

people are scared 
	of change
	of difference
	of strength that they do not understand 
and is not theirs
people are scared

so i speak into my echo chambers
	teach my son the ways of equality and kindness
	teach his friends how to grow into better humans than those in charge

i read and i learn facts
			and realities
		about the world
			about people
i read and i cry and i bemoan the state of the states
				the state of humanity
					(the loss of humanity)

but all is not lost
	i refuse to believe that this is it
	that this new normal is, well, normal or okay
i stand true and loyal to humanity
	trying to help where i can and educate when i can
i read books to classrooms on how to deal with big emotions
		and bullies

i tell my friends that they are beautiful and worthy of love and comfort
	i write these poems about horror and frustration
		and blast them into the void of the internet
	my words tell my story
you cannot shut my mouth or my fingers
	i remain loyal 
to the human race