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| Cartoon by Chris Britt, Mercury News, June 24, 2019 |
1. We sent them back
the ones not in cages
without toothbrushes or soap.
2. We sent them all back
like spoiled groceries
browned lettuce, rank meat
even the ones we knew
were born here.
3. We sent them messages
to insult and threaten
taunt and troll
ruin and lie.
Oh, how we lied.
4. We sent them all back
in time to when white
was right and might
and everyone else
could go to hell
or just go home.
5. We sent them all back
and the cities were quiet
roads empty, food scarce
shops closed, homes dirty
our babies cried
nothing worked right
we were so alone
we told ourselves
we were the greatest
the only ones
who mattered.
Originally from Boston, Mickey J. Corrigan lives in South Florida and writes noir with a dark humor. Books have been released by publishers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Project XX, a satirical crime novel, was published in 2017 by Salt Publishing in the UK. What I Did for Love will be released by Bloodhound Books in October.