I open social media

and my timeline is interspersed with

brutality and violence.

I struggle to avoid videos

of the so-called

“officers of peace”

violating my neighbors.

I pick up a newspaper and,

not surprisingly,

I see that my elected officials

have worked tirelessly,

day and night,

to take away my rights,

neglect the poor,

and separate families.

I turn on the TV

and I see a child,

with tears running down her face,

recount the dread she felt

as she witnessed her classmates

being exterminated

like roaches.

When I am at my lowest

and my tank of optimism is empty,

and the “patriot” comes up to me

waving a Confederate flag

and tells me,

“If you don’t like it here,

maybe you should just leave,”

I have to concede that sometimes,

I wish I could.