Earth tones

I am not blind to color.

I have never seen a black human,

nor a white.

People appear in various shades of

browns and reds.

Why do we not thus perceive —

Earth’s fertile richness in our skins: browns and reds?

How did we come to  need to pretend cold

simplicity of colorless You and Me?

Black + White — not natural life but

pre-judged lines, static and deadening.

questions for our billions’ dreams

Is it a blankness,

a lack, an inability?

How do functioning people

not feel the pain, the shame,

the horror at insanity that engulfs,

destroys hope for noble stories,

soul destiny, journey of humanity?

How do we so self-injure, inure to

stench of rotting murder?

If some one, sage or fool, could explain,

had that overview, that knowledge, how

could such abhorrent consciousness

respond?Where is the confessional, the

congregation of outpouring faith,

caring community, self-help group,

spirit cell to tell our sorrow, our

abreactive truths, release inheld

suffering, escape delusive silence,

find each other to unite

as common strength, open a conduit

to create a kind and vital people

within to honorably live?