Dear World. by Jake St. John

Dear World,
 
This is not 
who we are  
we do not
lock children
in cages
weeping
and torn
from their
mothers’ arms
we do not
allow Nazis
to march
freely
and unopposed
in our streets  
we do not
use the flag
to further
racist agendas  
we do not
condone
or support
sexual assault  
we do not
use disabilities
as punch lines  
we
love
America loves
dear world
understand
this is not
who we
are
we do not
sit at tables
with dictators
shaking bloody hands
while placing
journalists
and citizens
in shallow graves
we do not
believe guns
have more rights
than our children
we do not
build walls
to keep
our neighbors
out
we do not
pull back
our hands
when those
in need
out stretch
theirs
dear world
this is not
who we
are

Jake St. John writes out of New London, CT and is the author of several collections of poetry and pamphlet poems including, In All The Cities, The Same Faces (CWP Collective, 2017) and Rotations (Night Ballet Press 2015).  His work has appeared in numerous literary and arts magazines such as, The Blue Collar Review, BURP, Big Hammer, and The People’s Tribune. Since 2007 he has served as the editor of Elephant and co-editor of Flying Fish.