I still hear the drumbeats
My heart marches in rhythm
Flowing tears keeping time
As my brain struggles to process
Above the music and children’s laughter
Came the sound of fireworks exploding
But no colorful pyrotechnics lit the skies
Laughter turned to screams,
Belongings trampled under fleeing feet
Patriotic flags and rainbow flags united in the chaos
Children hidden in dumpsters being guarded by strangers
Others scooped up and sheltered in safe places
Young workers from storefronts became heroes
Doors opened, terrified folks ushered inside
I focus on THIS good, the humanity
People giving aid, offering hope
It helps to numb the horror of that parade
But the drumbeats are still present
Lest we never forget
About the Creator
Mary Haynes
Mary Haynes splits her time between a romantic old sailboat in tropical waters and a beach home in Ontario. A wanderer, by fate, she embraces wherever she roams! Mary recently completed her first children’s book, “Who Ate My Peppers?”
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