I don't write a lot of poetry, but occasionally I am inspired by some event in my life or in the world around me to take a stab at it. I recently began attending a poetry workshop and poetry open mic at a small local bookstore. I've met some amazing writers who have helped my hone my writing and give me the courage to continue putting my thoughts and feelings on paper.
Earlier this week I went to see the movie "Lee", about Lee Miller. She was a model turned photographer, then war correspondent for Vogue Magazine during WWII. I was incredibly moved by her experiences during the war, and the stark photographs that she took and shared with the world. She brought the reality of the war into the homes of everyday people, forcing them to stop denying the truth. I came home and wrote the following piece.
WHAT WE REFUSE TO SEE
Injustice happens every day
While we stay oh so busy
Immersing ourselves in mindless work
Refusing, refusing to see
What happens all around us
To our fellow human beings
Denial, a powerful defense
And so, we go on, never ever seeing
The pain and suffering inflicted
By oppressive apathy
We minimize the images
That clearly show reality
Rape, incest, child abuse
So many broken families
The end result of insidious
Toxic masculinity
The Trail of Tears, The Holocaust
The horror of slavery
When will we finally look, unafraid
To confront the tragedy
Of the evil visited upon this world
The incessant immoralities
Justified and normalized
By our wretched, pathetic species
Deborah Kellogg Lewis
October 2024
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