MOTHERS LOUDLY WAILING, FATHERS LOST IN GRIEF,
SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN, FLAGS HALF-STAFF CRIME TAPE EVERYWHERE
PEOPLE FLEE IN DISARRAY, THE FIRING DOESN’T CEASE
DARK SYMPTOMS ALL AROUND OF THE AMERICAN DISEASE
FLOWERS ON THE SIDEWALK, PICTURES ON THE FENCE
ACCUSATION, RECRIMINATION, GRIEVING - FOR A WHILE
BUT, TIME PASSES AND WE GO ON AND PRAY THE CRIES DECREASE
NUMB AND IM-PO-TENT BEFORE THE AMERICAN DISEASE
ITS NOT THAT WE DON’T CARE - WE DO, WE REALLY DO
BUT CARING AND ACTING ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS,
AND THERE’S SO MUCH TO LOSE
OUR RIGHT TO GUNS, OUR RIGHT TO SPEECH, THE VERY RIGHT TO FEEL FREE –
WELL …
FEVERISH AND INCOHERENT, ITS THE AMERICAN DISEASE
IT’S TIME - WAY PAST TIME - THAT WE SERIOUSLY SOUGHT A CURE
LOCK UP THE GUNS, UNLOCK OUR HEARTS, LISTEN, NOT JUST HEAR
DOES INDUSTRY GET TO HOLD US HOSTAGE
FOR SAKE OF THEIR BOTTOM LINES?
DO WE CARE MORE FOR OUR VAUNTED “RIGHTS “
THAN WE DO FOR OUR CHILDREN’S LIVES?
IT’S TIME TO CHANGE, IT’S TIME TO ACT, IT’S TIME THAT WE GOT WELL
PUT AWAY THOSE VERY THINGS THAT ARE PAVING OUR WAY TO HELL
THE BLOOD CRIES OUT, THE CHILDREN PLEADING, “HELP! PROTECT US PLEASE!”
IT’S ON US, NOT ANYBODY ELSE, TO BEAT THIS DAMNED AMERICAN DISEASE
-- Conway Porter