Guardians of Juneteenth

Of truth
Of status quo

Which truths?
Which status quo?

The trees?
The birds?
Or the siren drowning out
the bird songs?
Birds know their truths
Trees live their truths

But we humans?
We’re stuck guarding false truths
that serve the few who lead from fear

We stand before the gates
of truth
That the blue bird may be blue,
but its still just a bird

that the black or brown human
may be black or brown,
but is still just a human

the tree
the bird
the human
sanctuary and safe passage 
tenuously assured

We are each other
Whose truths do we guard?


Vermont