I Hope this Shocks You: An original poem

Genocide: The systematic extermination of an entire nation. See: Holocaust

Nation: A group that comes together due to common goal/identity e.g. linguistic nation, cultural nation, civic nation.

We all know of the holocaust in some form or another. Through the diaries of Anne Frank, the Boy in Striped Pajamas, the holocaust museum or social studies class we are exposed to the atrocity that unfortunately composes much of human history. Not an easy topic to imagine or go back to but real and the danger is when we forget our past. I want to say I’m sorry for this article but I hope it makes you feel something.

This poem/spoken word piece was written in response to ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’ a movie that attested to humanity’s failure in Rwanda. Through the eyes of a French-Canadian UN soldier, we view the futile mission to prevent millions of deaths with limited ammunition, medicine and man-power. My initial response to the film was speechlessness. Then tears. Then back to speechlessness as the shock of what I had witnessed and the reality that this had happened sunk in. Finally the words came and I realized that preserving the status quo never changed anything.

So yes I hope this shocks you
Because we’re just human beings
Trying to comprehend what we’re seeing
Blocking out what’s beyond believing

Choosing to ignore
What may be in store
For us
For us if we don’t act
If we don’t react to what we’ve seen
We can accomplish our dream
Our impossible goal
Despite the burden of constant toll

I’m sorry but it’s too soon
To associate with that
To deal with the pain
The hatred of past
Because what’s past is past
No time to look back
While we’re rushing still onward
Towards what may come
What will come if we wish it so
What can happen we know

If only we open our eyes
Remove our protective shield
We can no longer shy away from the scary thoughts
The frightening reality
I know it is

But facing our fears
Is the only way our years
Of focused effort will pay off
The only way
We will come to know love

Maybe we can’t win every battle
It was never the goal
Just as a horse
Was once a foal

We too must grow
With nurture and care
Spreading it far
Hear and there

It ain’t easy being green in a world full of red
But we can’t a a difference when our lives have been lead
When change becomes past instead
Instead of our present and our future
Then we’ve outlived our use
We’re already dead

So yes I hope this shocks you
I hope it makes you think
Cause you and I are one and the same
And ourselves the brink of change.

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