Brutality and injustice

don’t fade in memory;

they don’t go away

to some wistful place

of awful nostalgia–

bloody oath they don’t!

 

They don’t fade

to sickly grey

in some soft

and silent place

where you

are told to

behave well

and say no more.

 

Abuse, suffering,

scars and hate,

don’t fade in memory

but live and beat

as red and urgent

as they ever

were in all

the moments

of pain from the

acts of disgrace.

 

12/8/2016