when i look at what i have lived through

there is an unmistakable sadness

over 2 million people dead worldwide

400 thousand of them in my country

i wish i could visit all of their graves

to tell them I'm sorry

i wish there were enough flowers and mini flags and time in the world

to lay down by their resting places

i have lived through discrimination

and chaos

and a global pandemic

and all i can do is write poems

only you all

will ever read

all i can do 

is try to be aware

of he

at his grandmother's sickbed

she

surrounded by anti-maskers

they

wondering if they will ever be fully accepted

and we, in the midst of cardboard cutouts at the SuperBowl

trying to see the bright side 

of something that has

too many sides 

to see

but we

that word bounces around in my head

we

are stronger

than he, she, and they

we

together

can make

our voices heard

for i have lived through hate and pain

but 

we

have lived through worse