~ the earth is trembling ~ "freedom's book"

The Earth is trembling.

You ask what young people can do

to write the words of freedom's book?

I ask what can't we do.

When I gaze at the world today and the quandaries

faced by us--the human blood,

I must set my selfish thoughts aside,

including them when all voices

are heard.

Peace is dying. It is past time to 'wake up.' 

In every nation, on every continent, power has dishonored everything

like a murderer's fist throttling a small child.

Power's fist has become like rust.

It has become like strong rust in my mouth;

Cracking my teeth, scraping my tongue.

Can we change it?

Like the first atom that fell from the unformed sky.

Like the ripples in the sandy stream--tiny to small to big to giant,

our words can shock the world.

We have betrayed the purpose of the flag,

whose originators long-since dead had ideas of equality

we have dressed in doubletalk, jeweled in blitz. 

We have ignored the cries of those wanting to be set loose.

We have laughed at Matthew Shepard in the Wyoming field.

We have exploited the sick and impoverished until they can care no more.

How dare they say this land is free and this home is brave.

But I have hope and I have had to give hope to myself.

When all stones have been overturned, when all flames have died away,

when all water is calm, and when the wind does not blow over the fields of the dead,

will hope emerge.

The Earth is trembling.

You ask what young people can do

to write the words of freedom's book?

I ask what we can't do.