Mercy

Monsters have learned to cry
Angels weep in a darkened sky
And we fight
For things we don’t understand
Believe the lies
And watch innocents die
Why are we
So angry
Why do we persecute
The unknown
And why
Are we so scared
Why do we
Do the things we do
When we could care
And offer a hand
To those who need
What are you
So scared
Of
What do you have to lose
To say
That it’s okay
To be different
We’re all here
Fighting to survive
But what’s a fight
Without a friend at our side
Take a hand
Pull someone to their feet
Don’t push them
Down
Don’t make them feel
Like they don’t belong
Because you’re a stranger
In your own way
And any path you take
Could lead you
Down a road
You don’t belong
But look for a hand
Waving to the trenches
Look for a hand
And wrap your fingers in it
Because we are all
Different
And suffering
And we are all
Deserving
Of a chance
At happiness
And no matter our differences
Be it our skin
Our language
Or our virtues
We should stand
Hand in hand

What are you so scared of
Why are you so frightened
To give love
To give love
It’s the greatest gift
And so easy to give
What are you so scared of
What are fighting
When you watch children cry
What are you winning
When you watch children cry
What are you so scared of
When a mother
Loses grip
Of tiny hands
What are you so scared of
Why are you so angry
Why do you scream—
Those aren’t your tiny hands
Losing
Anything
What are you so scared of
When they step across
What are you scared of
When they turn away
From your cross
What does it do
To send out hate
To worship evil
And let it set their fate
What are you so scared of
When you see smiles
What are you so scared of
They offer peace
And they want to be
At least a fraction of
Your happy
It’s takes nothing
To hold out a hand
More muscles needed to frown
Than to say
“Welcome to our
Little, beat up town.”
What are you so scared of
Why do you forsake
The beaten
And the broken
And they who need?
What are you so scared of?
That you rejoice
At their separation
And their desperation
What are you so scared of
That you sneer in the face of
This disguised democracy
Ripping families apart
What are you so scared of
That you think you’re better
That you want to be
The hierarchy
Of your nothing
What are you so scared of?
Watching your country
Give into evil and anger
What are you so scared of?
Giving into your vengeance
There’s no enemy
For you to seek
Families
Seeking
Relief
What are you so scared of?
That they’ll smile?
That they’ll feel something
Beyond your anger and confusion
What are you so scared of?
That one day you’ll open your eyes
And the world will have changed
While you slept?
But it’s changed
You blinked
Your mistake
Because families
Are at stake
Children have to be saved
Open your eyes
Wider than your rage
Open your eyes
Take to the stage
Look out upon
Your neighbors
And these strangers
Fear
And chaos
In eyes
Known and unknown
What are you scared of?
Becoming a face in the crowd?
Is that your fear?
Taking a step down?
You’ve been standing on the sidelines
A referee of life
But the joke is on you
Because you
Aren’t
The judge here
Because you played
Into the liars games
You’ve been fooled
Is that what scares you?
Realizing you’re on the side
Of wrong doing?

It’s not too late
To set aside the fear
To forgo the anger and pain
For a moment
Take out your hand
Wave it at the trenches
Take out your hand
Hold it out
For a stranger
What are you so scared of?
You’re on the stage
You can make a change
For the better
You don’t need to be afraid
And neither do they
Do good
And good will be done
No need to be afraid
Not when the monsters can pay
Not with blood
Or with sacrifice
But with a willing hand
Willing
To take a stand
What are you so scared of?
The world is a stage
And you’re at the center of it
Plenty of space
For people
Friends and strangers
To take their place
Standing side by side
With you
It’s time.
Take down the barricade.
Don’t give in to the lies and shame,
It’s time.
Time to stop being
Fueled by rage.
Time.
To stop being afraid
Of change.