In the reckoning’s wreckage, threads entwined,

The truth lies twisted and undermined,

Craven simplification, craving certainty fast,

Nuance grimly neutered with turpitude blasts.

Blood-soaked brushes paint painful portrayals

Shades of complexity lost in violent betrayals,

Neatly framed narratives shape shaky perceptions,

Subtle hues are flattened with barracking interjections.

Empathy eludes us, locked, chained and bound,

Slain by self-righteousness, can’t make a sound,

Rationed, myopic, sparingly apportioned,

Carved up, breadcrumbed, caveated, cautioned.

Humanity missing in the blackening skies,

Invisible, blurry through tearstained eyes,

Revenging, avenging, we’re awfully the same,

The shame of the game we defame in its name.

We hoard our compassion, hold it close to our chests,

Withholding our love, our kindness, our best,

We push back, we hold out, keep it small in reserve,

A precious commodity for only those who deserve.

Justice for just some, piecemeal portions for peace,

No bother to other, bring a mother to her knees,

To flatten and threaten, wielding death and destruction,

Based on men in the sky and their ancient instructions.

Let’s break down the walls built on unreliable maps,

Embrace the complexities, fill the empathy gaps,

In the heart of nuance, where understanding lies,

Buried bloodied beneath rubble under terror, it dies.

Dare to defend, to speak out, hold the space,

You’re a traitor to your faith, to your tribe, to your race,

To your nation, your God, to your neighbor, your mate.

Bite the bullets you must, though, before it’s too late.