Tuesday, August 10, 2021

LEMMINGS

by Katherine West




"As the Delta variant spreads, Republican reluctance will mean thousands more deaths."
Salon, July 9, 2021


They come from far and near we don't know why
We hear them long before we see the crowd 
We fear they come together now to die 

Some try to staunch the flow of blood and lies 
Some turn away, the noise of death too loud 
They come from far and near we don't know why

They bring their children sick enough to fly 
Their freedom flags now used to make their shrouds 
We fear they come together now to die 

Some recognize a neighbor with a cry 
They look away their faces pale and proud 
They come from far and near we don't know why 

They fall before they cross the finish line 
They call for help forgetting all their doubt 
We fear they come together now to die 

We watch their souls return to love and sky 
The stain of rage and hate we can't wash out 
They come from far and near we don't know why 
We fear they come together now to die 

 
Katherine West lives in Southwest New Mexico, near Silver City. She has written three collections of poetry: The Bone Train, Scimitar Dreams, and Riddle, as well as one novel, Lion Tamer.  Her poetry has appeared in journals such as Writing in a Woman's Voice, Lalitamba, Bombay Gin, The New Verse News, Tanka Journal, Splash!, Eucalypt, and Southwest Word FiestaThe New Verse News nominated her poem "And Then the Sky" for a Pushcart Prize in 2019. In addition she has had poetry appear as part of art exhibitions at the Light Art Space gallery in Silver City, New Mexico and at the Windsor Museum in Windsor, Colorado. Using the name Kit West, Katherine's new novel, When Night Comes, A Christmas Carol Revisited came out in 2020, and a selection of poetry entitled Raising the Sparks will come out in 2021, both published by Breaking Rules Publishing.  The sequel to When Night Comes will also be released by BRP in 2021. It is called Slave, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Revisited. She is also an artist.