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| cartoon by David Sipress |
what is not in the news
is the invisible…
those who change the channel
when the nightly report begins
announcing again the pop pop pop pop
and showing the single file
scurry under the hovering helicopter eye
this is not unconcern
but rather
the bone weary dailyness
hearing another father’s choking voice
seeing another mother’s blank stare
more children, more bodies riddled with lead
please
feel no guilt
for you want to honor their story of stolen presence
when you listen and watch
yet tonight
you just can’t
and the news won’t tell you—
be kind to yourself in your sorrow
Sister Lou Ella has a master’s in theology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and is a former teacher and librarian. She is a certified spiritual director as well as a poet and writer. Her poems have appeared in numerous magazines such as America, US Catholic, Commonweal, The Christian Century, Presence, Prism, and several anthologies. She was a Pushcart nominee in 2017 and 2020. “Chavah’s Daughters Speak,” five poems from her book she: robed and wordless set to music by James Lee III, has been performed in New York City and Cleveland, Ohio.