Camp NaNoWriMo Day 23: “We All Want Someone to Blame” – a poem

 

One week left of StayHomeRhymeMo! This is such a great habit-maker. We’ll see if I can get to the end of the month without running out of ideas!

We all want someone to blame.

a poem by Lauren Hallstrom

 

We all want to turn away from the broken window

and look over our shoulders

and find someone standing there to point at.

People are saying

“China-the U.S.-antivaxers-the presidential election-meat eaters-

scientists-millennials-the world,”

and maybe someone

somewhere is right,

but all I can think of

is the time when I was seven

and we found a little bird

among the scattered pine needles

and trampled dirt,

all trembling and matted.

And I learned too late

that you don’t give milk

to wild things

like that.

Because maybe the mother would have come back

or maybe it was its own fault for falling,

but not mine, never mine

for taking part.

You all are still gathered

in a circle and arguing

over your news networks

and social platforms,

observing and considering,

and all I can see

are the baby birds

huddled on the ground,

tilting their open mouths to the sky

and waiting for something to happen.