Angels of the meadow – part 1

Citizens of hate

I wish my father

Never used those words

In my presence

I wish he was proud and brave

I wish he’d never lived in fear

Suspicious, disdainful and angry

I wish by his subtle actions

He’d never shown me hate

I wish those at the tip

Of the lash of his tongue

Were without fault

Of their own

I wish their actions at times

Didn’t lend merit

To my father’s views

And at times

Reciprocate them

But they and my father

Are human not perfect

And as I loved him

I must love them

As citizens of hate

We purchase no favor

No tolerance of anger

No allowance to act

If you rape and defile

My brothers and sisters

You rape and defile me

Hate’s a dagger

We choose to pick up

Or put down

A dagger

Of looks words and actions

Though I love you

As I loved my father

I can be shamed

By what you do

A1012-2002